Elon Musk’s X Rebrands Election Coverage: Can Voters Trust the Feed?

By Eshorjit | Infinitrix News | May 09, 2025

In a move stirring both intrigue and anxiety, Elon Musk’s X platform (formerly Twitter) has unveiled its new political content layer: “People’s Pulse.” Branded as a community-curated election feed, it promises decentralized news visibility, real-time ranking, and algorithmic transparency. But critics say the system may do more to obscure the truth than reveal it.

How “People’s Pulse” Works — and Why Critics Are Wary

According to internal X documents reviewed by Infinitrix, “People’s Pulse” aggregates political posts using a dual-layer system: AI topic clustering and user-driven credibility ratings. Posts are then weighted based on recency, repost velocity, and “engagement density” — a metric measuring how quickly a post triggers replies, bookmarks, or shares.

On the surface, it’s democracy in code. But skeptics argue that virality isn’t truth, and visibility isn’t fairness. “This isn’t a neutral feed,” said Dr. Lila Neumann, professor of algorithmic governance at Stanford. “It’s a popularity contest with serious consequences.”

User Reactions Are Divided

While some users praise the new layout as more dynamic and engaging than traditional chronological feeds, many warn that controversial posts are being boosted regardless of factual accuracy.

“I watched a fake poll about voter fraud trend for eight hours,” said Marcus D., a political researcher who monitors X discourse in battleground states. “It had 60,000 likes before anyone realized it was AI-generated.”

Election Authorities Raise Red Flags

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has requested clarification from X regarding “People’s Pulse” moderation protocols. Specifically, they’ve asked how AI misinformation and foreign manipulation will be addressed — or if moderation is even possible in a system built on decentralization.

Meanwhile, watchdog group CyberVotes 2025 issued a statement warning that “People’s Pulse risks becoming a personalized propaganda engine.” They’ve submitted a formal request for X to open-source its ranking logic ahead of the summer primaries.

Global Implications: Will Other Platforms Follow?

Following Musk’s lead, other platforms like Truth Social and India’s Koo have signaled interest in launching their own community-weighted feeds. Analysts warn this could fragment the online election landscape, with each demographic living inside its own AI-curated bubble.

“We’re looking at digital tribalism on steroids,” said Infinitrix tech analyst Reina Choi. “If this model spreads, coordinated narratives won’t just exist — they’ll auto-rank.”

Infinitrix Forecast: Transparency or Turbulence Ahead?

Infinitrix projects a sharp increase in election-related disinformation on X between June and November 2025 — especially in swing-state trending topics. With the platform’s algorithm now favoring community-ranked virality over verified sources, the line between influence and information continues to blur.

While Musk defends the model as “free speech optimized by logic,” critics warn it may undermine institutional journalism — and turn public discourse into a battlefield of AI-amplified spin.

“The question isn’t whether voters will be manipulated — it’s who gets to do the manipulating.” — Priya Nandhi, Infinitrix AI Policy Advisor