New York: Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, faces criticism for its inadequate response to misinformation regarding the U.S. elections, according to a report released by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) on Wednesday. The report indicates that the platform’s crowd-sourced fact-checking feature, Community Notes, is “failing to counter false” claims effectively.
CCDH analyzed 283 misleading posts and found that a staggering 209, or 74%, lacked accurate notes visible to all users that could correct the false and misleading claims about the elections. “The 209 misleading posts in our sample that did not display available Community Notes to all users have amassed 2.2 billion views,” CCDH stated, urging X to enhance its investment in safety and transparency measures.
Despite these findings, X has not responded to a request for comment, according to a report by the international news agency Reuters.
Community Notes was introduced last year, allowing users to comment on posts and flag misleading content. This approach effectively shifts the responsibility of fact-checking from a dedicated team to the users themselves. The report follows a legal defeat earlier this year, when X was held accountable for permitting a significant increase in hate speech on the platform.
Also Read | Ukraine Identifies North Korean Generals Assisting Russian Military Operations
X and other social media platforms have faced increasing scrutiny over their roles in disseminating misinformation and conspiracy theories, particularly concerning elections and vaccines. In August, secretaries of state from five U.S. states urged Musk to rectify issues with X’s AI chatbot, which had been spreading misinformation related to the upcoming November 5 election.
Also Read | Savings Surge: A Double-Edged Sword for Europe’s Economic Recovery
Musk, who publicly endorsed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in July, has also faced accusations of disseminating misinformation himself. Recent polls indicate that Trump is in a competitive race against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
