X Users Profiting from Election Misinformation

Ahead of the November 5 US presidential election, a BBC report reveals that users on Elon Musk's social media platform, X, are being paid thousands of dollars to spread election misinformation, including AI-generated images and conspiracy theories. These users are part of networks that share a mix of true and false content to maximize engagement and revenue, with some claiming earnings between a few hundred to thousands of dollars. Notably, these networks support various candidates, including Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris, and have even been contacted by US politicians for promotional posts. X recently updated its payment structure, compensating creators based on engagement from premium users rather than ad views, raising concerns about incentivizing misinformation. The influence of X, despite its smaller user base compared to other platforms, on political discourse is significant, especially as false claims about election fraud proliferate. Such misinformation has also spread to larger platforms like Facebook and TikTok, further complicating the election landscape.