berg80
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- Oct 28, 2017
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Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, is actively using X (formerly Twitter), the social media platform he bought in 2022, to promote his far-right political interests. Vittoria Elliott at WIRED writes that Musk has made the platform “his own personal political bullhorn.” Tech journalist Casey Newton says that X is now “just a political project.”
Even before his endorsement of former President Donald Trump in July, Musk had already changed X in substantial ways that favor MAGA politics and personalities. He restored accounts of far-right figures such as white nationalist Nick Fuentes and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, relaxed content moderation policies, and disposed of much of the company’s trust and safety and election integrity teams.
But after the endorsement, Musk’s efforts on behalf of the Trump campaign appeared to surge. He launched a political action committee dedicated to Trump’s reelection. He hosted a livestream with the former president, whom Musk coaxed back onto the platform after he was previously banned for incitement to violence after the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S, Capitol. According to The New York Times, Musk “hired a Republican operative with expertise in field organizing” to help direct his political activities. And according to Trump, Musk has agreed to head a “government efficiency” task force that aims to make “recommendations for drastic reforms” across the entire federal government should Trump win a second term. All the while, Musk continues to promote his preferred brand of politics through posts on his own account, which has close to 200 million followers (and frequently appears in users’ feed as recommended content whether they follow him or not).
While it may be jarring for users and others who hoped the platform might not succumb so completely to the interests of its singular owner, it is Musk’s prerogative to shape X to his tastes. No social media platform is truly politically neutral. And it is not a novel circumstance that the singular owner of a platform has such extraordinary influence over its operations, policies, and political decisions. But Musk’s use of X to try to influence the 2024 U.S. election is the most extreme example to date of a person in his position using a major social media platform for a specific political outcome. It is so blatant and outside the norm, it can be considered a class of its own.
www.justsecurity.org
Washington is filled with lobbying offices and fund-raisers because powerful interests believe something is gained when dollars are spent. They are right. We have come to expect and accept a grotesque level of daily corruption in American politics — abetted by a series of Supreme Court rulings that give money the protections of speech and by congressional Republicans who have fought even modest campaign finance reforms. But we have at least some rules to limit money’s power in politics and track its movements.
The same cannot be said for attention. If Trump saves TikTok and, in return, TikTok boosts pro-Trump content before the 2026 elections to help it go viral, would that be illegal? Perhaps. But would we even know it had happened? If Elon Musk turns the dials on X to tilt the conversation in the Republican Party’s direction before the 2028 elections, who will stop him?
www.nytimes.com
Color me concerned that trump, who doesn't even have a passing regard for the law or ethical norms, already has the most powerful social media platform (as long as he and Elon don't have a falling out)) in his back pocket, owns one of his own, and has already been promoted on Tik Tok for thwarting a bipartisan law passed by Congress.
The influence of the combined, unchecked, disinformation being spewed on social media, far right internet sites, and cable propagandists like Fox, has never been seen before. It's an authoritarian's dream. But hey, I'm sure it will turn out okay.
Even before his endorsement of former President Donald Trump in July, Musk had already changed X in substantial ways that favor MAGA politics and personalities. He restored accounts of far-right figures such as white nationalist Nick Fuentes and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, relaxed content moderation policies, and disposed of much of the company’s trust and safety and election integrity teams.
But after the endorsement, Musk’s efforts on behalf of the Trump campaign appeared to surge. He launched a political action committee dedicated to Trump’s reelection. He hosted a livestream with the former president, whom Musk coaxed back onto the platform after he was previously banned for incitement to violence after the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S, Capitol. According to The New York Times, Musk “hired a Republican operative with expertise in field organizing” to help direct his political activities. And according to Trump, Musk has agreed to head a “government efficiency” task force that aims to make “recommendations for drastic reforms” across the entire federal government should Trump win a second term. All the while, Musk continues to promote his preferred brand of politics through posts on his own account, which has close to 200 million followers (and frequently appears in users’ feed as recommended content whether they follow him or not).
While it may be jarring for users and others who hoped the platform might not succumb so completely to the interests of its singular owner, it is Musk’s prerogative to shape X to his tastes. No social media platform is truly politically neutral. And it is not a novel circumstance that the singular owner of a platform has such extraordinary influence over its operations, policies, and political decisions. But Musk’s use of X to try to influence the 2024 U.S. election is the most extreme example to date of a person in his position using a major social media platform for a specific political outcome. It is so blatant and outside the norm, it can be considered a class of its own.
Musk, X, and Trump 2024: Where are the Legal and Ethical Boundaries?
The limits and ability of social media companies to influence the outcome of elections.
www.justsecurity.org
Attention Is the Fuel of American Politics, and Trump Knows It
Washington is filled with lobbying offices and fund-raisers because powerful interests believe something is gained when dollars are spent. They are right. We have come to expect and accept a grotesque level of daily corruption in American politics — abetted by a series of Supreme Court rulings that give money the protections of speech and by congressional Republicans who have fought even modest campaign finance reforms. But we have at least some rules to limit money’s power in politics and track its movements.
The same cannot be said for attention. If Trump saves TikTok and, in return, TikTok boosts pro-Trump content before the 2026 elections to help it go viral, would that be illegal? Perhaps. But would we even know it had happened? If Elon Musk turns the dials on X to tilt the conversation in the Republican Party’s direction before the 2028 elections, who will stop him?
Opinion | Trump Has Something He Would Like to Bring to Your Attention
Attention is the fuel of American politics, and Trump knows it.
Color me concerned that trump, who doesn't even have a passing regard for the law or ethical norms, already has the most powerful social media platform (as long as he and Elon don't have a falling out)) in his back pocket, owns one of his own, and has already been promoted on Tik Tok for thwarting a bipartisan law passed by Congress.
The influence of the combined, unchecked, disinformation being spewed on social media, far right internet sites, and cable propagandists like Fox, has never been seen before. It's an authoritarian's dream. But hey, I'm sure it will turn out okay.
