Musk's False Election Claims Amass 2 Billion Views on X
A new report reveals that Elon Musk shares 87 false or misleading election claims on X, generating over 2 billion views. The billionaire also uses algorithm tweaks and massive super PAC spending to boost far-right political narratives.
A new analysis from the Center for Countering Digital Hate reveals that Elon Musk posts false or misleading election claims on X that amass over 2 billion views. Researchers identify at least 87 inaccurate posts from the billionaire this year, which gain massive reach partly because Musk tweaks X’s algorithms to ensure his content reaches all users. This artificial boost gives him an unparalleled megaphone on the social media platform he owns.
Musk’s political activity extends far beyond his own posts, as he contributes over $118 million to a super PAC supporting Donald Trump's reelection. This PAC runs controversial ads that impersonate Democrats and promote unpopular policies falsely attributed to Kamala Harris. While Meta recently bans political ads, X continues to allow them, creating an environment where paid political messaging and Musk's amplified posts flood users' feeds simultaneously.
Since formally endorsing Trump in July, Musk’s political posts garner a staggering 17.1 billion views, which equals the reach of roughly $24 million in campaign advertising. Researchers track 746 election-related posts from Musk during this period, showing that his personal output dwarfs all paid political ads on the platform combined. This dynamic transforms X into a powerful vehicle for election-related disinformation as the presidential race enters its final days.