Elon Musk’s belief that X is a reliable source of news has been called into question once again. Despite studies and reports highlighting the prevalence of misinformation on the platform, Musk has consistently touted X as a trustworthy online destination. However, his recent actions seem to contradict his claims.
In a now-deleted tweet, Musk fell victim to a photoshopped fake news headline shared by a far-right user on X. The fake headline, created to mimic The Daily Telegraph’s website, suggested that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was considering building “emergency detainment camps” on the Falkland Islands in response to anti-immigration riots. The user who shared this fake news is affiliated with the far-right UK party known as Britain First.
The fact that Musk, with his enormous following of over 293 million users, shared this fake news raises concerns about the spread of misinformation on X. Although Musk eventually deleted the post, it had already garnered more than two million impressions on the platform. It is disheartening to see that Musk has yet to acknowledge the deletion or provide a correction for his followers who may have been deceived.
This incident is not the first time Musk and X have been associated with fake news. Despite Musk’s efforts to position X as a news media application rather than just a social media platform, instances of fake news being shared on the platform have been well-documented. In fact, X itself has been responsible for promoting fake news in the past.
Earlier this year, X’s AI chatbot Grok generated a fake news story claiming that Iran was launching missile strikes on Tel Aviv. This false information was then promoted to users through the Explore feature on the website. This incident highlights the need for greater vigilance in verifying the accuracy of news shared on X.
Furthermore, just a few weeks ago, Musk shared a manipulated political campaign video featuring a deepfake voice impersonating U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. Although the original poster labeled the video as a parody, Musk failed to provide any context and shared it with his massive following. This incident demonstrates the potential dangers of sharing content without proper verification or context.
In conclusion, Elon Musk’s recent actions on X raise concerns about the platform’s credibility as a source of news. Despite Musk’s claims, instances of fake news being shared on X, whether intentionally or inadvertently, continue to undermine its reputation. To combat the spread of misinformation, it is crucial for both the platform and its users to exercise greater caution and responsibility when sharing news content.