Nonprofit group Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) claimed that Elon Musk's X is paying misinformation spreaders who "deliberately induce anger for engagement."
Since Musk acquired X, formerly known as Twitter, the disinformation crisis in this social media platform has worsened. Especially now with the ongoing wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
The misinformation issue reportedly worsened when Musk decided to put back thousands of accounts that were banned before the $44 billion purchase. So, does X really paying influencers to spread misinformation?
CCDH Claims Elon Musk's X Pays Misinformation Spreaders
Elon Musk's X has rolled out an ad revenue-sharing program for verified users, who often spread hateful and false information to profit from the social media platform.
"Cynical pay-for-play controversialists today deliberately induce anger for engagement to game Musk's platform into giving them more visibility, and therefore more revenue for their views," Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the CCDH, told AFP.
According to the anti-hate group, the further spread of fake news about the Israel-Hamas war, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and other global issues have been a persistent concern.
X Influencers Spreading Misinformation
Numerous X influencers are reportedly spreading misinformation regarding the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups, Houthi rebels, among others.
Many of them are from the US, like Jackson Hinkle, who recently posted a fake video showing an Iran bombing US military bases located in Iraq.
His post garnered lots of views, which fueled anger among Americans. AFP reported that fact-checkers confirmed that the footage was not an Iran bombing against American military bases.
Instead, it shows an attack in Iraq's Kurdistan region. Aside from this false video, Hinkle also published a post claiming that Yemen officially declared war against Israel to support Palestinians.
Again, fact-checkers debunked his theory. They said that although Yemen's Houthi rebels are attacking Israeli targets, Israel and Yemen neither declared an official war.
Hinkle is reportedly generating revenue by spreading misinformation on X. He even offers premium content to subscribers for $3 per month, and CCDH estimate reveals he makes at least $3,000 a month from paid subscribers.
"Your support helps me continue exposing the Deep State after I was banned & demonetized by YouTube, Twitch, PayPal & Venmo," Hinkle noted.
Hinkle, who has yet to disclose his total earnings on X, is reportedly among the X "misinformation super-spreaders."
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