Elon Musk's misleading posts on X fuel election disinformation
8:27 AM EDT, August 9, 2024
False or misleading information about elections in the US shared by Elon Musk on his social network X has garnered over 1.2 billion views this year. The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) emphasized on Thursday the impact of the billionaire's support for Donald Trump on the election campaign.
The non-profit CCDH identified 50 posts published since January about voting that disinformation experts deemed false or misleading. For example, 193 million users on X claimed that Democrats are encouraging illegal immigration to import voters, reported NBC News.
Over 1.2 billion views of misleading or false posts on X
The billionaire faced harsh criticism for spreading a manipulated video featuring Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in late July. The video attracted millions of views and was subsequently presented as "satire."
- Elon Musk is abusing his privileged position as owner of a small, but politically influential, social media platform to sow disinformation that generates discord and distrust - assessed Imran Ahmed, director of CCDH.
"Behaving as if he is untouchable"
According to attorney Nora Benavidez, Elon Musk - one of the richest people in the world - "behaves as if he is beyond reproach despite growing evidence of the harmful role he is personally playing to fuel disinformation and division ahead of the US elections."
NBC News emphasizes that none of the 50 contested posts by Musk had a "community note" that would correct his claims or add context. This raises doubts about the effectiveness of the fact-checking system, the center noted.
- As his behavior edges closer to election interference, it's up to others -- the public, regulatory agencies and advertisers -- to hold him accountable for his anti-democratic behavior - argued a Free Press representative to AFP.
Recently, Musk has intensified his rhetoric on immigration and transgender rights, which has coincided with his warming relationship with Trump. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a Republican victory in the November 5 election could benefit Musk's business empire.
