Democrats Criticize Musk’s Handling of Election Content
As the race between President Trump and Joe Biden intensified in New Hampshire, the Biden campaign directly criticized Musk for spreading false information about elections on X. Julie Chávez Rodríguez, the Biden campaign manager, emphasized that spreading misinformation and sowing distrust in the election process is profoundly irresponsible, especially coming from the owner of a social media platform.
Under a system in dispute at the Supreme Court, government officials used to alert platforms about dangerous posts, leaving it up to the companies to take action. However, Musk’s X algorithm now promotes posts from those who pay to be “verified,” even reinstating previously banned accounts.
Musk’s Control Over X Raises Concerns
The freer flow of false voting information on social platforms is just one perceived threat to elections. Artificial intelligence, realistic deep fakes, and an increasing acceptance of political violence also pose challenges. While Rupert Murdoch’s conservative media empire has exerted influential control over US politics, he has generally remained behind the scenes. On the other hand, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook is accountable to shareholders and advertisers.
In contrast, Musk wasted no time in urging his followers to vote Republican after acquiring X. He openly expresses his disdain for President Biden and has exhibited his media power by throttling perceived competitors and reinstating accounts banned for content violations. This has further fueled concerns about the spread of misinformation and its impact on the 2020 election.
Twitter’s “election integrity hub” previously took steps to delete or provide context to posts with misleading information about voting. Late in 2020, Musk eliminated X’s integrity team, stating that they were undermining election integrity. The move has been criticized by those who believe these measures led to unfair censorship.
Contributing to Doubts About the Voting System
Despite the positive track record of mail-in ballots, Musk’s false claims contribute to the growing doubts about the voting system among Americans. His actions have repercussions for election workers, creating a fraught climate, especially as former President Trump continues to perpetuate his stolen-election lies.
Ms. Chávez Rodríguez states that the Biden campaign will continue to denounce this recklessness and prioritize protecting elections. However, the communication between the campaign and the platform appears to be ineffective, leaving limited options for addressing the issue.