Elon Musk boosts conspiracy theorists on X platform

Elon Musk has been identified as a significant contributor to the spread of misinformation on his social media platform, X, formerly known as Twitter. A report from NewsGuard highlights that Musk has shared at least 17 false narratives, including bizarre claims about Haitians and accusations against Democrats. His interactions with misinformation accounts have led to substantial follower increases for these accounts, with one, @EndWokeness, gaining 30% in followers after Musk's endorsements. This trend raises concerns about the impact of Musk's platform on public discourse, especially given his nearly 200 million followers. The analysis also notes that while Musk's follower count has surged, mainstream media accounts have struggled to maintain their audience. Furthermore, Musk's actions have included censoring content he disagrees with, which contradicts his initial claims of promoting free speech. This situation has sparked debates about the responsibilities of social media leaders in moderating content and the potential consequences of unchecked misinformation.