X Users Report Earning Substantial Sums from Election Misinformation and AI-Generated Content

Certain users on the X social media platform, who regularly disseminate material containing election-related misinformation, AI-created visuals, and unsubstantiated conspiracy theories, claim to receive payments of “thousands of dollars” from the site. The BBC uncovered networks comprising dozens of accounts that frequently re-post each other’s content throughout the day. This content, a blend of factual, unverified, erroneous, and fabricated material, is shared to amplify their audience reach and, consequently, their earnings on the platform. Multiple individuals state that their income, derived from their own accounts and those of others, spans from a couple of hundred to “thousands of dollars.” These users also report coordinating the sharing of posts within online forums and group chats. As one user explained, “It’s a way of trying to help each other out.” These networks exhibit varied political alignments; some back Donald Trump, others support Kamala Harris, and some operate independently. A number of these profiles, which assert no affiliation with official campaigns, have been approached by US politicians, including congressional candidates, seeking favorable posts. Effective 9 October, X revised its payment policies. Payments to qualifying accounts with substantial reach are now determined by the level of engagement (likes, shares, and comments) from premium users, rather than by the quantity of advertisements displayed beneath their posts. While numerous social media platforms enable users to monetize their content or distribute sponsored material, they typically enforce regulations that permit the de-monetization or suspension of profiles disseminating misinformation. X, however, lacks comparable guidelines concerning misinformation. Despite possessing a smaller user base compared to certain other platforms, X exerts considerable influence on political discourse. This situation prompts inquiries into whether X is encouraging users to publish provocative assertions, regardless of their veracity, during a particularly sensitive period for US politics. The BBC cross-referenced the estimated earnings claimed by some of these X users against projected income, calculated from their view counts, follower numbers, and interactions with other profiles, concluding that the reported figures were credible. The deceptive posts circulated by some of these profile networks included assertions of election fraud, which authorities had refuted, and severe, unsubstantiated accusations of paedophilia and sexual abuse directed at the presidential and vice-presidential candidates. Certain misleading and false posts initially published on X have subsequently spread to other social media platforms with larger audiences, including Facebook and TikTok. As an illustration, an X user with a limited following stated that he produced a manipulated image allegedly depicting Kamala Harris employed at McDonald’s during her youth. Subsequently, other users propagated unsubstantiated claims that the Democratic Party was altering images of its candidate. Baseless conspiracy theories originating on X concerning the July assassination attempt on Donald Trump were also disseminated across other social media sites. X did not provide a response to inquiries regarding whether the platform encourages users to post such content, nor to requests for an interview with owner Elon Musk. Freedom Uncut’s content creation space, where he conducts live streams and produces videos, is adorned with fairy lights configured as an American flag. He identifies as an independent but expresses a preference for Donald Trump to become president over Kamala Harris. Free, as he is known to his friends, reports spending up to 16 hours daily in his workspace, posting on X, engaging with a network of dozens of fellow content creators, and distributing AI-generated images. He withholds his full name and true identity due to concerns that his family’s personal information has been compromised online, resulting in threats. He is not considered among the most extreme posters and consented to meet and elucidate the operational mechanisms of these X networks. He states that his posts have accumulated 11 million views in recent months, since he commenced regular posting about the US election. He displayed several examples on screen during our conversation at his residence in Tampa, Florida. Some of these are clearly satirical, such as Donald Trump resembling a character from The Matrix deflecting bullets, or President Joe Biden portrayed as a dictator. Other AI-generated images are less imaginative, including one depicting an individual on the roof of their submerged home with fighter jets overhead, accompanied by the caption: “Remember that politicians don’t care about you on November 5th.” This image mirrors Mr. Trump’s assertion that there were “no helicopters, no rescue” for residents in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. The North Carolina National Guard has refuted this claim, stating it rescued hundreds of people across 146 flight missions. Freedom Uncut characterizes his images as “art” intended to initiate dialogue. He asserts he is “not trying to fool anybody” but believes he can “do so much more by using AI.” Since his profile became monetized, he claims to earn in the “low thousands” monthly from X, remarking: “I think it’s become a lot easier for people to make money.” He further states that some acquaintances are earning over five figures, and he asserts he could verify this by observing the reach of their posts, adding: “It’s at that point it really does become a job.” He notes that “controversial” content typically garners the most views, drawing a comparison to “sensationalist” traditional media. Although he publishes “provocative stuff,” he maintains it is “usually based in some version of reality.” However, he implies that other profiles he observes readily share posts they know to be false, which he describes as an easy “money-maker.” Freedom Uncut disregards worries about inaccurate claims affecting the election, contending that the government “spreads more misinformation than the rest of the internet combined.” He also mentions that it is “very common” for local politicians to contact X accounts like his seeking support. He states that some have discussed appearing on his live streams and consulted him about producing and distributing memes, AI images, and artwork on their behalf. Is it possible that any of these posts, whether misleading or not, could exert a measurable influence on this election? “I think that you’re seeing that currently. I think that a lot of the Trump support comes from that,” he remarked. According to Freedom Uncut, there is “more trust in independent media,” encompassing accounts that disseminate AI-generated images and misinformation, than in “some traditional media companies.” Counterbalancing the pro-Trump accounts described by Freedom Uncut are profiles like Brown Eyed Susan, who commands over 200,000 followers on X. She belongs to a network of “die-hard” accounts that publish content hourly in favor of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Although she uses her first name, she refrains from disclosing her surname due to online threats and abuse she has encountered. Speaking from Los Angeles, Susan stated she never intended to earn money from her posts or for her account’s reach to “explode.” She occasionally posts and re-shares over 100 messages daily, with some of her individual posts reaching more than two million users. She explained that her income from posts stems solely from being granted a blue tick, which designates paid users and certain prominent accounts on the platform. She recounted, “I didn’t ask for it. I can’t hide it, and I can’t return it. So I clicked on monetise,” estimating her monthly earnings at a couple of hundred dollars. Beyond policy-related posts, some of her most widely circulated content, accumulating over three million views, has advanced baseless and erroneous conspiracy theories implying that the July assassination attempt was orchestrated by Donald Trump. She concedes that a crowd member and the shooter died, but asserts she has legitimate questions regarding Donald Trump’s injury, security lapses, and the thoroughness of the incident’s investigation. “There’s no way to get to the truth in this. And if they want to call it conspiratorial, they can,” she stated. Susan also distributes memes, some incorporating AI, targeting the Republican candidate. Several more persuasive instances depict him as older or in poor health, which she claims “illustrate his current condition.” Additional images portray him as a dictator. She insists that all her visuals are “obvious” fakes. Similar to Freedom Uncut, she reports being contacted by politicians, including congressional candidates, for support, and she endeavors to “spread as much awareness” as possible on their behalf. Subsequent to a dispute concerning whether Kamala Harris had previously worked at McDonald’s, a manipulated image of her in the fast-food chain’s uniform was disseminated by her supporters on Facebook and achieved widespread circulation. Upon the discovery by some pro-Trump accounts that the image was an altered photograph of another woman in the uniform, it sparked unsubstantiated allegations that the Democratic Party itself had originated the image. An X account named “The Infinite Dude” seemingly first shared the image with the caption: “This is fake.” The individual responsible for the image, Blake, informed me he distributed it as part of an experiment. His profile possesses significantly fewer followers than the other accounts discussed. When requested for proof that he manipulated the image, he stated he possesses “the original files and creation timestamps” but declined to share them, asserting that proof “does not really matter.” He commented, “People share content not because it’s real, but because they want it to be real. Both sides do it equally – they just choose different stories to believe.” His political affiliation remains ambiguous, and he asserts that this “isn’t about politics.” X states online that its primary objective is to safeguard and champion the user’s voice. The platform applies manipulated media labels to certain AI-generated and doctored videos, audio, and images. Additionally, it offers a feature called Community Notes, which facilitates crowdsourced fact-checking among users. During the UK election, X did implement measures concerning a network of accounts disseminating fabricated clips that I investigated. Nevertheless, in the context of the US election campaign, I have received no reply to my inquiries or requests to interview Elon Musk. This is significant because social media entities such as his could influence outcomes as voters proceed to the polls. Marianna Spring conducted this investigation utilizing her Undercover Voters—five fictional personas derived from Pew Research Centre data—which enable her to examine social media recommendations received by various users. Their social media accounts are private and do not interact with real individuals. Further details are available here and on the BBC Americast podcast on BBC Sounds. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. 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