Jemima Khan Alleges Secret X Throttling Over Imran Khan Posts in Plea to Elon Musk

Jemima Goldsmith Khan has publicly accused X of secretly throttling her account. The British TV producer and former wife of Imran Khan made the allegation directly to platform owner Elon Musk. She claims her posts about the imprisoned ex-Prime Minister are being deliberately hidden.

Khan says this “secret throttling” prevents vital information from reaching the public. She states X is her family’s last independent platform for advocacy. Her appeal is based on data from Musk’s own AI tool, Grok.

Detailed Claims of Algorithmic Suppression on Social Media

In a detailed post, Jemima Khan reintroduced herself to Elon Musk. She described Imran Khan as Pakistan’s democratically elected prime minister, now a political prisoner. She stated he has been held in solitary confinement for nearly 22 months.

She explained her sons have been unable to see or speak to their father. According to her, Imran Khan’s name is banned from all Pakistani TV and radio. This makes X a critical outlet for sharing his situation with the world.

However, she cited an analysis by Grok, an AI from Musk’s company xAI. The analysis concluded her account faces “secret throttling.” It said the algorithm limits posts about Imran’s jail conditions or her sons’ access.

The Grok assessment noted Pakistani authorities prioritize suppressing criticism from Khan’s immediate circle. It suggested X complies just enough to keep the platform accessible in Pakistan. This compliance allegedly involves hiding her posts from almost everyone.

A Personal Appeal for Free Speech and Platform Integrity

Jemima Khan’s request to Musk is deeply personal. She asked him to honor the free speech promises he made upon acquiring Twitter. Her plea was to remove the throttling identified by his own AI system.

She shared damning analytics from Grok to support her case. In 2023 and early 2024, her account averaged 400-900 million monthly impressions. For all of 2025, total impressions crashed to just 28.6 million—a drop of 97%.

A key turning point was May 2025. One post spiked to 4 million impressions the day Pakistan’s X ban ended. This proved her audience remained highly engaged. Immediately after, impressions were crushed to near zero and stayed there.

She framed the issue as one of fundamental principle. “You promised free speech, not ‘speech but no one hears it’,” she wrote. Her final request was simple: fix the visibility filtering to let the message out.

The allegation of secret X throttling presents a major test for the platform’s stated principles. Jemima Khan’s use of internal data to challenge Elon Musk directly underscores the high stakes for global political speech.

Info at your fingertips

What is “secret throttling” on social media?

Secret throttling refers to an algorithm limiting a post’s reach without the user’s knowledge. The account isn’t suspended, but its content is hidden from most followers. It’s a form of shadow banning that reduces visibility.

Why does Jemima Khan say X is so important?

She states that all Pakistani TV and radio stations are banned from mentioning Imran Khan. This makes X the only remaining independent platform for his immediate family. It is their primary channel to inform the international community.

What evidence did she provide for the throttling claim?

She cited a detailed analysis from Grok, an AI owned by Elon Musk’s xAI. The data showed her impressions dropped 97% in 2025. A post spike when Pakistan’s X ban ended proved her audience was still active.

How has Elon Musk responded to these claims?

As of this reporting, there has been no public response from Elon Musk or X’s official channels. The plea was made directly via the platform, and a reply is awaited.

What is Imran Khan’s current legal status?

Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former Prime Minister, remains in prison. His supporters and family allege he is a political prisoner held in unlawful solitary confinement for nearly 22 months.