X opens its ranking code and adds tool to reveal shadowban status
X has released the source code for its "For You" feed and ranking engine on GitHub and introduced a feature that lets users download data showing whether their posts were labeled or limited by the platform.
X announced a major expansion of its open-source codebase, publishing the algorithm that powers the default "For You" feed and the underlying ranking engine on GitHub under an Apache v2 license, making the repository ten to fifteen times larger than before. The release includes model configurations, filters, and the parameters that weight various signals, allowing outsiders to see how posts are ranked. A new transparency feature adds an "Under the Hood" page where users who posted ten or more times in the past month can download a JSON file showing any labels applied to their account or posts.
Initially, the tool will be tested with accounts at least a year old before a wider launch. Keith Coleman, X’s VP of Product, highlighted the possibility for external developers to propose code changes via pull requests, while noting that certain systems, such as those using Grok for rule-violation prediction, are excluded to prevent exploitation.
Why it matters
It lets the public examine and challenge how X curates content, addressing long-standing transparency concerns.
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