Reports suggest that social media site X has removed several accounts and posts related to a network that was spreading fake information about UK politicians. Part of the Undercover Voter project, a BBC investigation found that deepfake images were created and shared by a group of accounts to harm a candidate’s reputation. Though some of the comments made by the network were clearly satirical, others wrongly portrayed candidates in a negative light. The comments made by users of the platform helped to establish the clips as genuine, resulting in tens of thousands of views.
Though X has been made aware of such activities previously, this is the first instance in over a year where action has been taken. Elon Musk, who acquired the social media platform in 2022, implemented several changes, including job losses for the communications team. Further, emails to X’s press office initially resulted in an automatic poo emoji, which now simply says “Busy now, please check back later”. An X spokesperson has addressed the issue, stating that the company has several policies and features in place to protect against the spread of misinformation.
One of the most significant examples of fake information being spread is the doctored video of Wes Steeting, the Shadow Health Secretary, during the BBC’s Politics Live show. The footage had been altered to make it seem as though Steeting had called politician Diane Abbott a “silly woman” under his breath. The clip was shared by the user Men for Wes, who claimed outrage at the “really nasty people” in the Labour Party. Other users, however, endorsed the content as real. Following several complaints, the Men for Wes account was suspended along with several others, and X’s reader-operated fact check service labelled the clip fake.
X has also supported efforts to improve digital literacy during election periods in the UK. Despite this, it is clear that the problem of fake news and misinformation on social media sites persists, making it difficult for voters to ascertain the truth
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