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Leon's Disturbing Political Interference

  • Writer: Dylan Walker
    Dylan Walker
  • Jan 9
  • 4 min read


Image Source: AI Generated
Image Source: AI Generated

The year 2024 marks the largest democratic exercise in human history. More than 1.6 billion people have voted in over 70 elections worldwide. Elon Musk's political statements have raised serious concerns among democratic leaders throughout Europe.

The Norwegian Prime Minister voiced criticism that echoes a growing worry about Musk's political influence. His direct endorsement of Germany's far-right AfD party triggered strong backlash from European leaders. Tech billionaires and political power have created unprecedented challenges to democratic processes, especially during this most important election year. This analysis will get into how Musk's political moves shape international discussions and could influence election results worldwide.

 

Social Media Platform Ownership as Political Power

Elon Musk's ownership of X (formerly Twitter) shows how social media platforms can become tools of political power. The platform's dynamics have changed significantly since his acquisition, and our analysis reveals some worrying trends.

User engagement patterns tell an interesting story. Fact-checking accounts have seen their engagement drop by 52% [1], while right-biased media outlets gained 77% more engagement [2]. The engagement with least-biased media sources dropped by 27% [2].

These numbers paint a clear picture of the platform's changes:

  • Pro-science accounts dropped 13% in engagement [2]

  • Satire sites gained 32% more engagement [2]

  • Right-biased media outlets reached 349.4 engagements per account daily [2]

  • Fact-checkers saw their daily engagement drop from 76.9 to 36.9 per account [2]

Musk's role has grown beyond what people expect from a platform owner. His posts now reach more than 202 million followers [3], and he uses this reach to boost certain political viewpoints. X has taken a more partisan turn under his leadership. Republican users view the platform more favorably now, while Democratic users have become more negative about it [4].

This change goes deeper than new ownership. What people once called a digital town square has become a powerful instrument for shaping political opinions.

 

Pattern of International Political Interventions

A clear pattern shows how Elon Musk's political influence keeps growing on the international stage. His recent endorsement of Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) party raised serious concerns when he declared "Only the AfD can save Germany" [5].

Musk's political reach goes way beyond Germany's borders. His actions in the United Kingdom show direct attacks on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whom he called an "evil tyrant" [5]. His involvement in British politics has grown through several actions:

  • He just needs the release of jailed UK anti-Islam extremist Tommy Robinson

  • He calls for new elections in Britain

  • He accuses Starmer of running a "tyrannical police state"

European leaders have united against these political moves in unprecedented ways. French President Emmanuel Macron questions whether a social network owner should step into elections [5]. On top of that, Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis sees Musk's behavior as "troubling and far from amusing" [5].

Musk's political activism follows a calculated pattern now. His support for far-right candidates and causes prompted Professor Andrew Chadwick to note that Musk has "started to arrange himself much more obviously with an international movement of the far right" [5]. This pattern points to a coordinated effort to shape political discussions in many democracies.

 

Democratic Institutions Under Tech Billionaire Influence

Tech billionaires' growing power over democratic institutions has become clear through our analysis of Elon Musk's recent political activities. His posts about election security and operation have reached nearly 3.3 billion views on X [6].

The numbers tell a concerning story. More than half of Musk's election-related posts contain misleading or false statements [6]. Each of his posts about elections averages 9.3 million views [6]. He has interacted with 40 accounts known to promote voter fraud claims [6].

These massive numbers directly affect election officials on the ground. Michigan's Secretary of State faced an increase in threats after she corrected Musk's false claims about voter registration numbers. His response got 24.2 million views [6].

Musk has backed his online influence with substantial financial power. He gave over USD 74.95 million to America PAC to support Trump's reelection [6]. His content focuses on three recurring themes: non-citizen voting, alleged machine tampering, and mail voting vulnerabilities. His posts about voter ID alone have reached 524 million views combined [6].

Election experts worry about how the platform could affect electoral integrity. David Becker, executive director of the Center of Election Innovation and Research, highlights a critical challenge. Election officials counting ballots now face the task of addressing Musk's claims that reach hundreds of millions of people instantly [6].

 

Conclusion

Elon Musk's recent actions show a concerning overlap between tech power and political influence. His platform ownership gives him direct access to 202 million followers. He actively promotes far-right narratives and spreads election misinformation that could harm democratic processes worldwide.

The pattern is clear and coordinated. Musk directly interferes in European politics and supports specific political ideologies. This demonstrates how tech leaders' wealth can shape global conversations. His election security posts have generated 3.3 billion views, and 55% of them contain misleading information.

Democratic institutions have proven their strength, but major challenges lie ahead. European leaders have united in their response to Musk's political meddling, showing they understand what's at stake. The potential for tech billionaires to sway electoral outcomes remains a serious issue, especially with upcoming elections in 70 nations throughout 2024.

X's evolution from a digital town square to a powerful political tool should serve as a warning. Democratic societies need better safeguards to protect electoral integrity and democratic values from unprecedented tech influence.

 

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