Twitter has been named in 3 documented digital harm incidents. The most common harm domain is Misinfo & Disinfo.
Documented Incidents
3AI‑generated Iran‑US war deepfakes spread on X despite new policy
AI‑generated videos showing false scenes of an Iran‑US conflict have been circulating on X, the platform owned by Elon Musk. X announced a policy that suspends revenue‑sharing for creators who post undisclosed AI‑generated war content, imposing a 90‑day suspension for first‑time violators and permanent bans for repeat offenders. Researchers say the flood of deepfake videos continues, with premium verified accounts posting clips that garner millions of views, and fact‑checking efforts struggling to keep pace. X’s own AI chatbot Grok has even mislabeled some fabricated visuals as real.
Donald Trump posts deepfakes of Taylor Swift, Kamala Harris, and Elon Musk to manipulate voters
Donald Trump shared AI-generated deepfake images of Taylor Swift, Kamala Harris, and Elon Musk on his Truth Social platform in an effort to boost his 2024 presidential campaign. The images, including Swift in a "Swifties for Trump" T-shirt and Harris at a communist rally, were reposted from rightwing X accounts and falsely presented as endorsements. Trump also shared a deepfake video of himself dancing with Musk, who has endorsed him. These posts occurred in late July 2024 and reflect a growing trend of AI-generated disinformation in the U.S. election cycle. The use of AI imagery has raised concerns among researchers about the spread of election-related misinformation and the "liar’s dividend" effect, where authentic content is dismissed as fake. The AI images were created using tools like Musk’s Grok image generator, which lacks some of the safety measures found in other AI platforms.
Russia's Internet Research Agency targets U.S. with social media disinformation during 2016 election
The Senate Intelligence Committee revealed that Russia's Internet Research Agency used social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to target African Americans and spread disinformation aimed at sowing racial discord during the 2016 U.S. election. The agency's content was heavily focused on race-related themes. This incident highlights foreign interference through digital platforms during a critical U.S. political event.