X's algorithmic content delivery system received blame from California Rep. Brad Sherman following his capture on camera examining provocative imagery during air travel, with the 71-year-old Democrat pointing to Elon Musk's platform as the source, the Daily Beast reported. Flight photographs showing Sherman viewing multiple lingerie-clad women on his tablet surfaced through the account Dear White Staffers, affiliated with a "group of Capitol Hill staffers working to expose poor working conditions." Donald Trump Jr. spread the surprising photos of the lawmaker on the plane, and they ultimately became viral.
Sherman defended his actions to Punchbowl News reporter John Bresnahan, explaining, "This was on Twitter. These pictures came up on 'For You.' I must've looked at more than 1000 posts." The "For You" tab functions through algorithmic curation mixing followed and unfollowed accounts, with Social Bee explaining that "The Twitter feed algorithm brings in out-of-network tweets from accounts you don't follow, based on your past interactions. Your past likes, retweets, and replies help the algorithm decide what to show you," the Daily Beast noted. Content appreciated by "those in your network" also shapes feed composition.
The released photographs depicted sequential lingerie images across Sherman's device, prompting his assessment: "Is it pornography? I don't think Elon Musk thinks so. Is it appropriate? No." X categorizes such material as "Adult Content," defining it as "Full or partial nudity, including close-ups of genitals, buttocks, or breasts," with user controls available for "media that may contain sensitive content," the Daily Beast reported. Musk has faced ongoing accusations of manipulating the "For You" algorithm to boost his posts and right-wing content during his three-year platform leadership.
Why did California Congressman Brad Sherman feel it was appropriate to look at porn on his iPad during a flight today? His district deserves better representation than this!! #CA32 pic.twitter.com/gAYZ82tyr2
— Dear White Staffers (@dearwhitestaff) November 14, 2025
The congressman, serving since 1997, admitted his willingness to view the photographs, stating, "If I see a picture of a woman, might I look at it longer than a sunset? Yeah." In his extended response to the Daily Beast, Sherman declared, "Simply put – Donald Trump Jr, the White House and MAGA are trying to divert from releasing the Epstein files. This was nothing more than scrolling through Twitter – and unfortunately Elon Musk has ruined the Twitter algorithm to give people content that they don't ask for or subscribe to. Don Jr. and the White House press office are pushing this story when there is no story. Shame on Don Jr., shame on the White House, shame on MAGA. They ought to join the bi-partisan demands to release the Epstein files – now."
