, March 5 -- As the chief economist at the Competition Commission, Hodge expressed frustration, noting that X is the sole significant digital platform abstaining from participation in the Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry.

"The only global platform that has so far refused to participate in these hearings is X Corp, formerly known as Twitter. The panel does not find this position acceptable, it denies us the ability to discuss and debate the submissions made by X Corp, and it denies the South African public and the media that transparency and accountability that is so important.

"We also find it somewhat ironic that X has taken this position given its own value proposition to users which it describes as real time global open pub...