Elon Musk's X lifts ban on political ads, focuses on tackling misinformation

Elon Musk's X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has decided to lift its ban on political advertising in a move that could impact the upcoming 2024 US election season.

The platform announced in a recent that while it will allow political advertising, it will continue to crack down on false information.

The social media platform outlined its plan for handling political discussions as the election approaches. The company is aiming to maintain a balance between free expression and preventing the spread of misleading content.

The change is expected to give political candidates more opportunities to connect with voters online, while also boosting X's income as its ad sales have dropped.

X had previously eased restrictions on "cause-based advertising," and this new step appears to permit election campaigns and political groups to run ads supporting or opposing specific candidates. The decision marks a shift from Twitter's 2019 ban on political ads, which was upheld during the 2020 US presidential election.

While X's leadership, including billionaire Elon Musk, emphasises free speech, questions remain about the platform's ability to moderate content effectively. The company said that it will implement thorough screening procedures to ensure only eligible groups and campaigns can advertise. It's also expanding its safety and election teams to monitor emerging threats, potentially including AI-generated images.