X removes graphic video Elon Musk shared over rules violation

Elon Musk’s X took down a post its billionaire owner shared in response to a news report critical of how he and other pundits are politicizing lawlessness and violence in Haiti. The post violated X rules, according to a message that appeared for some users.

NBC News reported Wednesday that Musk and influencers he frequently interacts with on the social media service have been circulating unverified claims of cannibalism in Haiti. Musk responded to NBC posting its article on X, writing “What do you call this?” and sharing a graphic video clip purporting to show cannibalism.

A State Department spokesperson said it hasn’t received any credible reports regarding the issue and urged people to seek fact-based verification of sensational claims before sharing them online. Representatives for X didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Right-wing influencers have circulated similar content in recent days without presenting evidence that the videos are current or were recorded from Haiti.

Musk has been posting in rapid-fire fashion in recent months about U.S. border politics, spreading conspiracy theories related to the flow of undocumented immigrants into the country. After meeting with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump early last week, the chief executive officer of X, Tesla Inc. and several other U.S. businesses said he isn’t donating to either Trump or President Joe Biden.

While Musk has at times deleted his own posts after they drew criticism, it’s unusual for the company to remove its owner’s posts for violating rules.

After taking over the social media platform formerly known as Twitter in late 2022, Musk slashed roughly three-quarters of its staff within a year. The cuts included drastic paring back of trust and safety operations that dealt with issues including misinformation and election integrity. In January, X announced plans to hire 100 full-time content moderators in Austin.