Elon Musk’s profound influence on X, the platform he owns, has significantly amplified the reach and political fortunes of hard-right figures and activists across Europe, as revealed by a comprehensive Associated Press analysis. This demonstrates a potent form of social media influence impacting European politics.
The analysis highlights specific instances, such as a German politician whose daily audience on X surged dramatically from 230,000 to 2.2 million on days Musk interacted with her posts, subsequently leading her party to an unprecedented electoral performance. This showcases the digital power of such interactions.
Another notable case involves a previously banned anti-immigration activist in Britain, who, after being reinstated by Elon Musk, saw his follower count increase by nearly a million, driven by over 120 mentions or reposts of the billionaire on the X platform.
Even a lesser-known Cypriot social media influencer, who gained a surprise seat in the European Parliament, experienced an explosion in audience views, from 300,000 to nearly 10 million, directly linked to Musk’s engagement with his account. This ‘Musk effect’ underscores the evolving landscape of European politics.
This unparalleled dominance by Musk on X, which he acquired for $44 billion, has established him as a significant ‘kingmaker’ not only domestically but also internationally, raising concerns in Europe about potential foreign meddling and the platform’s role in shaping political narratives through its digital power.
The Associated Press’s investigation meticulously examined over 20,000 posts across a three-year period from 11 prominent European hard-right figures in six countries, alongside tens of thousands of Musk’s own posts on the X platform, to quantify the tangible impact of his interactions on their online visibility and follower growth, a clear example of significant social media influence.
Many of the hard-right figures amplified by Elon Musk have faced legal challenges in their respective nations, yet his engagements have consistently helped unite these nationalists across borders, fostering a shared agenda focused on issues like migration control and an absolutist vision of free speech, fundamentally altering aspects of European politics.
The study underscores how X, under Musk’s stewardship, has evolved from a purported neutral forum for free speech into a powerful amplifier of his own views and those he chooses to support, leading to an extreme asymmetry in content leverage and further consolidating digital power for the platform’s owner, Elon Musk.
This concentration of influence creates a strong incentive for individuals to seek Musk’s engagement for increased clout and monetization, prompting European authorities, including the EU and French prosecutors, to launch investigations into X’s content promotion mechanisms and algorithmic biases in the realm of social media influence and European politics.
