CCDH CEO Imran Ahmed criticized Musk for using his position to spread disinformation, warning that the lack of moderation tools like Community Notes reflects X’s failure to curb algorithmically-boosted falsehoods that can incite real-world violence…reports Asian Lite News
A report released Thursday reveals that false or misleading U.S. election claims shared by Elon Musk on X (formerly Twitter) have garnered nearly 1.2 billion views this year. The findings underscore the billionaire’s significant influence on the polarized White House race.
Researchers from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) have raised alarms about X becoming a hotspot for political misinformation. They noted that Musk, who acquired the platform in 2022 and supports Donald Trump, has been spreading debunked election claims on his personal account, potentially swaying voters. The CCDH identified 50 misleading posts by Musk since January, none of which included a “Community Note” — a tool promoted by X for user-generated context.
CCDH CEO Imran Ahmed criticized Musk for using his position to spread disinformation, warning that the lack of moderation tools like Community Notes reflects X’s failure to curb algorithmically-boosted falsehoods that can incite real-world violence.
The posts in question included widely debunked claims, such as accusations that Democrats are facilitating illegal migration to “import voters” and that the election is prone to fraud. These claims have received hundreds of millions of views.
Recently, Musk faced backlash for sharing an AI deepfake video featuring Vice President Kamala Harris. The video, viewed by millions, mocked Harris with a voiceover that misrepresented her views, only for Musk to later clarify it was satire.
Nora Benavidez from Free Press Action Fund criticised Musk’s behaviour, saying it borders on election interference and calling for public, regulatory, and advertiser accountability, AFP reported.
Musk’s acquisition of X for $44 billion and his subsequent actions have drawn increased scrutiny, particularly after a bipartisan group of U.S. secretaries of state urged him to address misinformation issues with X’s AI chatbot, Grok. The chatbot had recently spread false information about ballot deadlines.
X, which has been criticised for exacerbating tensions during recent far-right riots in England, has reduced its trust and safety teams and scaled back content moderation, leading researchers to describe it as a haven for disinformation.