Twitter has made parts of its software open-source, providing the source code for the timeline’s recommendation algorithm on the Github developer platform. This move will allow external programmers to suggest improvements and search for errors.
In a blog post, Twitter stated that its goal is to provide users with transparency into how its systems work. The company views this move as a first step into a new era of transparency. By making the source code of its software publicly available, Twitter hopes to increase trust in its software and make it easier to find errors.
Open source software development is a philosophy that seeks to increase trust in software and make it easier to find errors. Linux and Google’s Android mobile operating system are two prominent examples of open-source software. Professionals and hobby programmers all over the world work together on the code. In contrast, Microsoft pursues a closed-source approach with Windows, where the source code is kept strictly under lock and key and only made accessible to the company’s own developers.
Twitter hopes to capitalize on the collective intelligence of the global community to improve its service. The company is withholding code that could compromise user security or privacy and is not making public the program parts that are responsible for advertising recommendations.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk called for cooperation on the Twitter code, saying, “We hope to capitalize on the collective intelligence and expertise of the global community to help us find issues and suggest improvements that will ultimately lead to better Twitter.”
Twitter has been under scrutiny for its algorithmic recommendations, particularly in the wake of the US presidential election. The company has been accused of spreading misinformation and contributing to political polarization. By making the source code of its recommendation algorithm open-source, Twitter is seeking to increase transparency and improve public trust.
While Twitter is not releasing the data used to train the algorithm, external programmers can still suggest improvements to the code itself. The timeline’s recommendation algorithm suggests tweets and accounts to follow based on a user’s past activity on the platform.
Twitter’s move to open-source its software is part of a broader trend towards transparency and collaboration in the tech industry. As concerns grow about the power of big tech companies, many are calling for greater accountability and transparency. Open-source software development is seen as a way to increase transparency and build trust with users.
By making its software open-source, Twitter is also inviting external programmers to help improve its service. This move is in line with the company’s efforts to improve the user experience and rebuild public trust. Twitter has been working on a range of initiatives to combat misinformation, hate speech, and abuse on its platform.
Twitter’s decision to make parts of its software open-source is a significant move towards transparency and collaboration in the tech industry. By making the source code of its software publicly available, Twitter is seeking to increase trust in its software and improve public confidence. The move is also part of a broader trend towards greater transparency and collaboration in the tech industry, as concerns grow about the power of big tech companies.