How Elon Musk uses X to promote right-wing policies and elect Trump
Are you seeing more right-wing misinformation on X? We found that it's all a part of Elon Musk's strategy to elect Trump. .
Have you seen more right-wing media on X?
That is not by accident. Elon Musk, who is a public supporter of Trump, has used X's algorithm to promote his own content, suppress "left” opinions, and not penalize misinformation from right-wing accounts, according to investigations from various news outlets, including AP and Al Jazeera and 10 X users we spoke to. Here is how:
Promote Right-wing policies and conspiracy theories: Musk has openly supported extreme right-wing policies, including pushing anti-LGTBQ rhetoric and posts that associate migrants with crime. Musk has also personally amplified multiple conspiracy theories associated with QAnon.
Political Endorsements: Musk has formally endorsed Donald Trump's presidential campaign and shared his talking points on various issues. His PAC has donated over $75 million to the Trump campaign.
"Free Speech" Rhetoric: While claiming to champion free speech, Musk has been accused of suppressing opposing viewpoints, particularly those from the left. He has also reinstated numerous high-profile right-wing accounts that were previously suspended for violating platform rules.
Our Research: 10 X users who identified as "progressive” told us they see more posts from figures in right-wing media, such as Laura Loomer & Donald Trump, despite not following them or having them listed as an “interest” on the platform’s settings.
“All I see is right-wing media,” Sam Smith, a 20-year-old registered Democrat from Florida told us. “Even when I use the search engine, the first tweets that pop up are from right-wing figures.”
We also found that community notes, X’s fact-checking feature, were missing from policies Musk supports, including topics that are anti-LGBTQ+ community and anti-immigrants.
Why does this matter: With the election just three weeks away, political analysts are looking closer to the role Elon Musk is playing in amplifying Trump's policies and the misinformation from conservative outlets. Many are worried about the role X could play after the election when Trump is expected to prematurely declare victory (if he loses) and amplify false claims of voter fraud.
“Elon Musk is a master of the media and controls one of the world’s largest microphones, said Emarketer analyst Jasmine Enberg.” Musk understands the power of social media in shaping a political narrative. The concern is that as he pushes his own political agenda, X could suppress viewpoints that oppose Musk’s own, either intentionally or by nature of the platform becoming more partisan. That could turn off users who feel marginalized on the platform, and disillusion some who may have earlier bought into his free speech mantra.”