Elon Musk Accuses Governments of Gaming X’s Fact-Checking Tool

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Elon Musk has vowed to improve X‘s fact-checking mechanism following a controversy involving U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Musk made his comments on February 21, 2025, during a social media engagement where he echoed Trump’s assertion that Zelenskyy is unpopular in Ukraine, contrary to polling data.

Musk alleged that X’s community notes feature is being manipulated by governments and media outlets. His remarks came while promoting an anonymous right-wing account that challenged the credibility of a Ukrainian polling organization due to its funding ties with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which Musk is reportedly scaling back as part of his cost-cutting strategy.

“If Zelensky was actually loved by the people of Ukraine, he would hold an election. He knows he would lose in a landslide,” Musk stated on X, sharing an unfounded claim that U.S. intelligence agencies estimate Zelenskyy’s approval rating to be a mere 4 percent. He further opined that the Ukrainian leader has avoided elections, suggesting it reflects a lack of public support.

This assertion, however, contradicts recent polling from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, which indicates that Zelenskyy’s trust rating among Ukrainians has actually increased to 57 percent in February 2025, up five percentage points from December.

Musk’s comments drew criticism from academia. Lucas Graves, a journalism professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, characterized Musk’s statements as troubling. “These accusations reflect a growing concern that private platforms can be manipulated to favor political interests,” Graves told Al Jazeera. He also suggested that a transparent community notes system could effectively combat misinformation, but warned that it needs to be insulated from individual biases.

John Wihbey, an associate professor of media innovation and technology at Northeastern University, concurred, stating that platform owners inherently risk dissatisfaction with user-generated outcomes. “Crowdsourced fact-checking can be beneficial, but there must be a balance with other mechanisms,” Wihbey argued.

The exchange between Musk and Trump escalates amid mounting tensions surrounding U.S. foreign policy towards Ukraine. Trump has accused Zelenskyy of dictatorial tendencies, stating that his refusal to hold elections signifies a lack of democracy. “Zelenskyy is a dictator without elections,” Trump asserted in a Truth Social post.

Trump, who is engaged in diplomatic discussions concerning the ongoing conflict with Russia, previously claimed that Zelenskyy was responsible for the war. This rhetoric coincides with a noticeable decline in Zelenskyy’s popularity since the onset of the conflict, which peaked at 90 percent in March 2022 but has since fallen as challenges mount in leadership during wartime.

Despite the claims circulating, independent verification reveals that the few organizations conducting approval polling in Ukraine do not support Trump’s assertions. The Sotsys Group, a polling agency, showed a 16 percent approval for Zelenskyy—a figure that some have disputed.

In addition, allegations made by Trump regarding U.S. assistance to Ukraine were examined, which he claimed exceeded $350 billion. However, experts refuted this remark as inflated, with estimates suggesting U.S. aid lies between $175 billion and $185 billion since the conflict began. A spokesperson for the U.S. government confirmed a total expenditure of $183 billion for Ukraine aid programs.

The unfolding narrative reflects the complexity of misinformation dynamics on platforms like X, where high-profile figures can sway public perception with contentious claims. As the debate over community notes and censorship continues, Musk’s approach could redefine standards for content moderation and political discourse on social media platforms.