X stands for X rated?

I started SiliconOpsis because I’m a huge tech fan and love everything about it. Tech shows human ingenuity and shapes societies. It’s incredible to think about what legendary inventors and innovators have done, from the early days with folks like Archimedes (Indie says “hi”) and Al-Jazari, to da Vinci, Gutenberg, Watt, and then zooming to more recent duos like Jobs-Wozniak, Page-Brin, and yep, even Musk. It’s just mind-blowing.

This blog is my space to deep-dive into stuff that interests me, from checking out the latest gadgets, learning about AI, sharing my views on big tech’s game plan, and peeping into a crystal ball on what’s next. Saying tech has a big footprint on society is putting it mildly; it shapes societies and determines if you, or your country, belong to the “haves” or “have-nots”.

Got a reality check today on how tech plays with society. While setting up my X account for SiliconOpsis (going with that “X” straight off the bat not to dwell on the past), I only ticked boxes for gaming and tech, steering clear of the political drama and other hot-button stuff. But man, although I’m familiar with the controversies around X, I was still surprised with Elon’s “who to follow” suggestions. No sign of Tim, Satya (or Elon for that matter). Instead, besides a number of reputable game companies (check) I got a bunch of seriously divisive figures (no judgement call on them, at least not in this article, but one cannot ignore their power to polarise).

Now, this might just be the algorithm showing off the top-trending peeps, or it might be a wilful attempt to mess with my virgin brain. But seriously, what’s the point of the whole “tell us your interests” spiel if you’re gonna throw these curveballs on day one?

Quick tip for Elon: If you want X to be town-square were everybody feels welcome, maybe re-hire your Integrity Team and add a “safe” to “controversial” slider. That way, we get to pick the vibes we want in our timeline and thereby spend a little bit longer on your town-square.