When Elon Musk took ownership of Twitter, there were concerns among researchers and election officials about the potential spread of misinformation that could lead to threats, harassment, and harm to democracy.
These fears materialized, with Musk himself becoming a significant source of election-related misinformation. He has cast doubt on the reliability of voting machines, and mail-in ballots, and has promoted claims of widespread non-citizen voting, echoing common Republican narratives.
Musk, who supports former President Donald Trump, is set to interview Trump soon, likely amplifying these election conspiracy theories. As Twitter’s new owner, Musk has reinstated accounts previously banned for spreading misinformation, including Trump’s, and dismantled the platform’s fact-checking and safety measures.
He has publicly advocated for in-person voting only, rejecting the use of electronic voting machines and mail-in ballots.
Elon Musk Fuels Election Misinformation as Twitter’s New Owner
Officials like Maricopa County recorder Stephen Richer have attempted to correct the misinformation Musk spreads, inviting him to see election processes firsthand and addressing misunderstandings about voter data and citizenship proof. However, social media platforms have generally become less aggressive in fact-checking election falsehoods, influenced by pressure from Republican lawmakers and their allies.
Musk has also shared AI-generated content that could mislead people, such as a video with a fake Kamala Harris voice and has promoted baseless claims about non-citizens voting. His AI chatbot, Grok, has spread false information about ballot deadlines, prompting secretaries of state to call for corrections to prevent further misinformation.
Additionally, Musk’s political action committee is under investigation for data mining in key states, disguised as voter registration efforts. Despite his claims of election fraud, Musk has stated he would accept the results of the 2024 election, but with reservations about potential election integrity issues that he believes should be thoroughly investigated.
