Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has come under renewed criticism following anti-immigration disturbances in Belfast, after researchers claimed that content he amplified on his social media platform X significantly increased the reach of narratives linked to the unrest.
The controversy follows violent clashes that erupted in Northern Ireland after a knife attack on Monday. Authorities subsequently charged a Sudanese national, identified as Hadi Alodid, with attempted murder.
In the aftermath of the incident, Musk shared and amplified posts from anti-immigration campaigner Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, encouraging demonstrations across Britain. In one post to his more than 240 million followers, Musk wrote, “Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change.”
The tech entrepreneur also promoted anti-immigration content and messages from Rupert Lowe, head of the fringe political movement Restore Britain, helping extend the visibility of such content to a wider audience.
According to a report released by the nonprofit watchdog Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), posts related to the Belfast unrest from Musk, Robinson and Lowe accumulated more than 115 million views on X. Researchers estimated that Musk alone accounted for approximately 64 million views, representing about 55 percent of the total reach generated by the three accounts.
CCDH founder and chief executive Imran Ahmed argued that Musk’s role as both platform owner and its most-followed user gave him unmatched influence over online conversations.
“As the owner of X and its most-followed user, Musk has unparalleled power to shape what people see online,” Ahmed said, adding that such influence carries responsibility for the content promoted on the platform.
The organisation further claimed that responses to posts concerning the Belfast disturbances contained thousands of comments advocating violence against migrants. Researchers said they identified more than 3,900 comments calling for actions ranging from assaults to lynchings, with nearly two-thirds of those comments appearing beneath Robinson’s posts.
X had not publicly responded to requests for comment regarding the report at the time it was published.
Robinson’s return to the platform remains controversial. His account had previously been suspended under Twitter’s former management but was reinstated after Musk acquired the company in 2022 and rebranded it as X. Several other previously banned figures accused of spreading misinformation or hate speech were also restored to the platform during that period.
Researchers additionally noted that Musk has recently increased Lowe’s visibility by sharing his speeches and publicly suggesting that Restore Britain could be the political force capable of changing the country’s direction.
The findings come amid growing concerns about the role of social media in fuelling tensions and spreading inflammatory content. Britain’s communications regulator, Ofcom, recently warned that online platforms could be used to encourage hatred, incite violence and facilitate other offences under UK law.
The controversy emerged on the same day Musk reached a major financial milestone. The entrepreneur became the world’s first trillionaire after shares of SpaceX surged following the company’s historic Wall Street debut. The record-breaking public offering reportedly raised more than $75 billion, making it the largest initial public offering in history.
