From Tech Visionary to Misinformation Mogul: The Trajectory of Elon Musk and X (Formerly Twitter)
Elon Musk, the enigmatic entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, has become a central figure in the spread of misinformation online. His $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, now rebranded as X, has transformed the platform into a breeding ground for falsehoods and conspiracy theories. This transformation didn’t happen overnight. Musk’s journey from tech innovator to purveyor of misinformation is a complex one, marked by a gradual embrace of hard-right ideology and an increasing disregard for factual accuracy.
The seeds of Musk’s misinformation campaign were sown even before his Twitter takeover. In 2018, facing production challenges with Tesla’s Model 3, Musk’s Twitter activity became increasingly erratic. He engaged in personal attacks, famously calling a British cave diver a "pedo guy" in a tweet later defended as a "joke." More seriously, he falsely claimed "funding secured" for a Tesla privatization deal, leading to SEC charges and a hefty fine. These incidents highlighted Musk’s penchant for distorting reality and the potential consequences of his unfiltered pronouncements.
The COVID-19 pandemic marked a turning point in Musk’s relationship with truth. In 2020, he downplayed the severity of the virus, falsely claiming that children were "essentially immune" and predicting near-zero new cases in the US by April. He criticized lockdown measures as "fascist," spread misinformation about testing and treatments, and aligned himself with right-wing figures questioning government responses. This period saw the emergence of Musk’s penchant for conspiratorial thinking, culminating in his blaming Dr. Anthony Fauci for the pandemic. He also signaled his growing affinity for the far-right by tweeting "Take the red pill," a phrase co-opted by reactionary groups.
Musk’s engagement with right-wing ideology intensified in 2021 and 2022. He expressed disdain for pronouns, aligning himself with anti-transgender sentiment, and his Twitter following surged. While attempting to back out of the Twitter purchase, he made unsubstantiated claims about bot prevalence on the platform. Post-acquisition, he became increasingly responsive to right-wing influencers complaining of bias, embracing figures known for spreading misinformation. This culminated in his amplifying a false story about the attack on Paul Pelosi, furthering a conspiracy theory about the incident. Musk’s actions effectively legitimized and disseminated extremist viewpoints, normalizing the discounting of right-wing motives for political violence.
By 2023, X, stripped of its moderation teams and populated with reinstated banned accounts, became a hotbed for misinformation. A study by Science Feedback revealed a significant increase in engagement for misinformation “superspreader” accounts, often directly boosted by Musk’s own replies and retweets. He cast doubt on the white supremacist motives of the Allen, Texas mall shooter, liking posts falsely identifying the perpetrator as a Mexican gang member. He engaged in antisemitic rhetoric targeting George Soros and supported campaigns to ban the Anti-Defamation League from the platform. Simultaneously, he promoted racist conspiracy theories like the “Great Replacement” and falsely claimed the Biden administration was encouraging illegal immigration for electoral gain.
Musk’s misinformation campaign continued into 2024, with ongoing engagement with extremist accounts and the spread of anti-transgender rhetoric. He publicly attacked the World Professional Association for Transgender Health and misrepresented his relationship with his transgender daughter, Vivian Wilson. He also actively spread misinformation about the 2024 US presidential election, falsely claiming vulnerabilities in the voting system and sharing a deepfake video of Vice President Kamala Harris. His election-related falsehoods have garnered billions of views, largely unchecked by X’s fact-checking features. Musk’s actions have drawn criticism from organizations like the Center for Countering Digital Hate and several secretaries of state concerned about the spread of election misinformation. Even UK politics became a target, with Musk briefly sharing a hoax headline about UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Elon Musk’s transformation from tech visionary to misinformation magnate represents a troubling trend in the digital age. His ownership of X has provided a powerful platform for the amplification of harmful narratives, conspiracy theories, and outright falsehoods. His willingness to engage with and promote extremist viewpoints has normalized hateful rhetoric and contributed to a climate of distrust. As X continues to evolve under Musk’s leadership, the potential for further erosion of truth and the spread of misinformation remains a significant concern. His actions underscore the urgent need for critical media literacy and effective strategies to combat the spread of false narratives online.