A growing wave of conspiracy theories is circulating among left-leaning users on Meta’s social media platform, Threads, as they claim that President-elect Donald Trump won the election due to a rigged process. These theories have been gaining significant traction, particularly with claims that Elon Musk, a vocal Trump supporter, utilized his Starlink satellites to interfere with voting machines and manipulate the election results. As these discussions continue to spread, users are increasingly questioning the integrity of the election.
One user, outraged by the allegations, posted on Threads, asking, “Are you kidding me? Someone who openly campaigns because one of the presidential parties is giving internet connectivity to voting machines and saying ‘he can hack ANYTHING,’ and that’s no cause for concern?!?” The user’s post reflects the growing frustration among those on the left who feel that there has been manipulation in the election process.
A different user, showing clear support for Vice President Kamala Harris, contributed to the conversation with a more specific claim: “Multiple sources reveal Starlink was involved in vote tabulation. Starlink. Owned and controlled by Elon Musk. Who worked for the Trump campaign. Hello? Anyone?” This theory suggests that Musk’s influence over Starlink, a subsidiary of his SpaceX rocket company, played a pivotal role in altering the election outcome, creating suspicions about the fairness of the electoral process.
Further fueling these suspicions, another user posted, “I love how no one in the press is talking about how Elon Musk just rigged the election.” This user’s statement highlights the belief that mainstream media outlets are ignoring a major story, one that could potentially alter public understanding of the election’s legitimacy.
Additionally, users have been sharing messages about supposed voter fraud. One post claimed, “Evidence of widespread voter fraud and votes thrown in trash/woods and mysteriously missing and uncounted. This stuff is about to go crazy.” These types of messages reflect a sense of growing paranoia surrounding the election and the way votes were counted or discarded, further adding to the distrust among certain online communities.
Similar conspiracy theories are also being shared on Musk’s other platform, X (formerly Twitter), as well as on TikTok. One post on X asked, “Raise your hand if you think Elon Musk’s Starlink was the ‘Little Secret’ to winning or stealing this election.” This message plays into the narrative that Musk’s technology played a crucial, but secretive, role in the election results, which many feel are not being fully disclosed to the public.
In North Carolina, a state that has become a focal point for these claims, a noticeable discrepancy has emerged. The election results showed that Democratic candidates, such as Josh Stein, triumphed by a substantial margin—over 800,000 votes in the governor’s race—while Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris by a much smaller margin of fewer than 200,000 votes. Despite Trump’s win, Democrats secured other key positions, such as lieutenant governor, attorney general, and secretary of state. This pattern has raised suspicions among conspiracy theorists, with one user on Threads arguing, “Trump’s margin in NC is COMPLETELY based on downvotes. This makes absolutely no sense!”
The relationship between Musk’s Starlink and these conspiracy theories is central to the growing unrest. Starlink, a satellite internet service that Musk controls through his SpaceX company, has been at the heart of allegations suggesting that the technology was used to hack into vote tabulation machines. This idea stems from Musk’s political ties and his vocal support for Trump, leading some to speculate that he might have had the means and motive to influence the results through his control of Starlink.
These theories have taken on a life of their own across social media platforms, especially as Musk’s involvement in both the space industry and online platforms like X is seen as having a potential overlap with the political process. A particularly concerning claim made by an individual on Threads suggested that “a full #fascist takeover is underway” due to Musk’s supposed involvement in manipulating the election results. The post went on to make alarming statements about the dangers posed by those involved in the alleged election interference, warning of potential violence and urging caution.
While these conspiracy theories continue to spread, Meta (the parent company of Threads) has made efforts to combat misinformation. A Meta spokesperson stated that independent fact-checkers are used to evaluate posts flagged by users for potentially being false. Content deemed inaccurate is then assigned a rating, with the most severe ratings—those that identify content as “fake” or “altered”—leading to significant distribution limits. This ensures that misleading posts reach as few people as possible, attempting to curb the spread of unverified and potentially harmful information.
Since its launch in July 2023, Threads has gained significant traction, amassing 275 million monthly users by the end of last year. Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, mentioned that Threads’ user base has grown by 175% compared to the previous year, with more than 1 million people signing up daily. This rapid growth has positioned Threads as a competitor to Musk’s own social media platform, X, which has approximately 318 million monthly users, according to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.
Despite Meta’s attempts to combat misinformation, the sheer volume of these conspiracy theories on platforms like Threads is concerning to many observers. The prominence of these narratives is especially troubling given their potential to influence public opinion and trust in the electoral system. By leveraging social media’s power to rapidly disseminate information, these conspiracy theories have gained a foothold among a significant portion of online users, who may begin to question the integrity of the election process itself.
The theories surrounding Elon Musk’s role in the election have not only sparked debates about the technological influence of Starlink but also raised broader questions about the relationship between social media, politics, and the spread of misinformation. As these discussions continue to unfold, it remains to be seen how platforms like Threads and X will address the issue of conspiracy theories and the challenges posed by the unchecked dissemination of false or misleading information.
