Analysis of Musk's posts on X and their content by independent fact-checking organizations

Elon Musk, Most-Followed on X, Amplifies Election Misinformation with AI-Powered Trends, Boosting Trump's Campaign

Oct 27, 2024, 01:13 PM

Elon Musk, the most-followed user on X (formerly Twitter), is reportedly using his platform to amplify election misinformation and conspiracy theories ahead of the upcoming US presidential election. In three instances last month, Musk's posts spreading unfounded claims about voter fraud were viewed over 200 times more than official fact-checking posts correcting those claims. His posts have gathered 1.2 billion impressions over three days, effectively providing millions in advertising value. Additionally, X's AI-powered trending topics are boosting these conspiracy theories, further magnifying their impact. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has criticized Musk as a "megalomaniac, election-denying, MAGA extremist" who is trying to buy the election for Donald Trump. Observers suggest that Musk hopes a Trump victory will help his $44 billion investment in X pay off.