'Musk is X-ploiting Democracy!’ 13 March 2025

The Global Coalition for Tech Justice is concerned about the ongoing disinformation campaign targeted at the Republic of South Africa, particularly the spread of falsehoods about the country’s land expropriation and affirmative action policies. These baseless narratives and conspiracies, fueled by powerful figures in the United States of America, are reigniting historical racial tensions as well as undermining South Africa’s constitutional democracy. South Africa’s Land Expropriation Act emerges from a constitutionally mandated and lengthy democratic process designed to address centuries of dispossession and systemic exclusion under colonialism and apartheid. Mischaracterising these efforts as a “white genocide” or an abuse targeting a specific community is a deliberate and dangerous distortion of reality, one that not only disregards the complex historical harms suffered by the majority of South Africans but also dismisses the carefully designed checks and balances intended to ensure inclusive, lawful, and sustainable land reform.

…X, Musk’s social media platform, should also be declared a dangerous platform for disinformation. Its problematic “Community Notes” model has resulted in minimal corrective information being provided about South Africa’s land expropriation policies—leaving thousands, if not millions, exposed to unverified and false content that distorts both South African policy and broader societal realities. Because Community Notes relies heavily on user-driven moderation, it often proves inadequate in addressing coordinated disinformation campaigns. Such a model is especially risky during crises or when social tensions run high; by the time users add corrective notes or flags, the misleading information may have already caused significant harm and perpetuated further disinformation…Digital literacy and ethical behaviour from tech companies remain imperative in the fight for platforms that put people and human rights before profit. Meta and other social media companies should not rely solely on Community Notes as a system for content moderation, but instead implement robust, transparent mechanisms, including professional fact-checking and clear enforcement policies, to protect the public from harmful falsehoods.

With South Africa assuming the G20 Presidency in 2025, it is imperative that world leaders continue to prioritise information integrity as a cornerstone of global stability. Building on efforts during Brazil’s G20 Presidency in 2024, South Africa’s G20 leadership offers a pivotal opportunity to champion these reforms and reinforce the global commitment to combating the ever-evolving threat of disinformation. Governments must now move beyond rhetoric and take decisive, coordinated action. By introducing strong regulations, demanding transparent platform governance, and fostering international collaboration among stakeholders, we can uphold democratic values, and guard against manipulative narratives.