Elon Musk’s Misleading Election Posts Garner Over a Billion Views
Since acquiring a social network in 2022, billionaire Elon Musk, an avid Donald Trump supporter, has posted 50 election-related messages, reports the Center Against Online Hate. He now has 193 million followers.
Deceptive Influence on Social Network
Social media has long been a cornerstone in the democratization of information. However, Elon Musk, the wealthy owner of the social network X, appears to have used this platform to spread false information about the US elections, amassing over 1.2 billion views this year.
The respected NGO, Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), has highlighted this alarming issue. With nearly 193 million followers, Musk has posted numerous misleading messages related to the elections.
Unwavering Support from Musk for Trump
Among these posts, some have particularly stood out. “Democrats encourage illegal immigration to import voters,” claimed the SpaceX CEO. Not to mention the manipulated video of Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, which he dared to label as “satire.”
Moreover, Musk’s role as a staunch supporter of Donald Trump has drawn sharp criticism. The South African-born billionaire seems to have leveraged his influence to steer the course of the American electoral campaign.
🚨 NEW: Elon Musk is spreading harmful election claims on X ahead of the US elections.
We found that Musk’s false & misleading claims about the elections were viewed nearly 1.2 billion times & none of the posts had Community Notes.
📝@NBCNewshttps://t.co/NE9iOssbfZ
— Center for Countering Digital Hate (@CCDHate) August 8, 2024
Erasure of “Notes,” a Threat to Democracy?
Additionally, these posts on X lack the usual “notes” – annotations by users to contextualize or correct dubious messages. This tool, once promoted as a defense against misinformation, seems to have vanished under Musk’s influence.
Monitoring the Situation is Essential
In light of this critical situation, several figures have called for accountability. Lawyer Nora Benavidez stated, “Musk acts as if he is above reproach, despite growing evidence of his harmful role in fueling misinformation and division.”
Only by holding Musk and other similar figures accountable can we preserve the integrity of our democracies. It is crucial to ensure the accuracy of information shared on social media platforms – a responsibility shared by the public, regulators, and advertisers.