Nic Carter warns of algorithm manipulation on X: Creators' rights at risk

Venture capitalist and Castle Island Ventures partner Nic Carter recently shared important observations about the platform’s algorithm strategy on the X platform. According to reports from Odaily, Carter identified a fundamental problem: X favors maximizing user engagement over building stable relationships between creators and their audiences.

The ‘For You’ Algorithm Harms Creator Engagement

The ‘For You’ algorithm is at the core of this upheaval. By focusing on maximum engagement, it weakens creators’ ability to reliably reach their existing followers. Users can no longer count on seeing content from the accounts they follow—instead, they are presented with algorithmically curated content designed to prolong scrolling.

Asymmetric Power Dynamics Emerge

This shift in platform priorities leads to a new asymmetry: while users have less control over their content flow, creators become more dependent on the opaque criteria of the algorithm. Going viral is no longer determined by follower loyalty but by technical systems whose logic remains hidden from the public.

Nic Carter anticipates Calls for Digital Autonomy

Carter predicts upcoming debates and negotiations centered around “digital property rights.” Three core demands are at the heart of this: first, transparency of algorithms; second, creators’ right to genuinely reach their followers; and third, users’ right to decide which content they want to see. Nic Carter sees this development as a turning point for the future of social platforms.