A recent report by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) reveals that posts by billionaire Elon Musk containing false or misleading claims about the U.S. election have amassed two billion views on X (formerly Twitter) this year. Experts warn that X, a major social media platform, is central in spreading election misinformation, especially in critical battleground states.
Since Musk’s acquisition of X, content moderation has decreased significantly, as he cut thousands of staff members. Musk, who has publicly supported former President Donald Trump, holds significant influence on the platform with his 203 million followers. According to Kathleen Carley, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, X facilitates “network effects” by allowing misinformation to flow across other platforms like Reddit and Telegram. She describes X as “a conduit from one platform to another.”
The platform claims that its Community Notes feature, which lets users add context to posts, is more effective than warning labels in curbing misinformation. However, with Musk’s reduced moderation approach, concerns about election interference persist.
In Pennsylvania, one of seven swing states, X users recently spread false claims about unprocessed voter registration forms, implying voter fraud. Philip Hensley-Robin from Common Cause, a nonpartisan voting rights group, clarified that election officials are following correct procedures.
X’s spokesperson stated that the platform acted against accounts sharing misleading content but did not detail further actions.
