Top Ten Elon Lies

Image Source: AI Generated

A single false tweet from Elon Musk about the US election reached an astounding 1.2 billion views in early 2024. These numbers reveal the massive scale of misinformation spread.

My analysis of Musk's social media activity shows remarkable patterns. A third of his 171 posts during a five-day period contained false or misleading information that garnered over 800 million views. His posts about immigration and voting generated six times more interaction than Tesla-related content, despite Tesla being the company under his leadership.

This year's top 10 false claims from Musk demonstrate a concerning pattern. His predictions about Covid-19 ("zero cases by April 2020") proved completely wrong, and the hyped cage match with Zuckerberg never materialized. These viral falsehoods do more than entertain - they actively shape public conversations and beliefs.

The Twitter Acquisition Bot Lie: How Musk Manipulated Platform Statistics

Image Source: Shacknews

Musk's biggest deception of 2025 revolved around Twitter's bot statistics. He manipulated these numbers to try breaking free from his USD 44 billion acquisition deal [1].

Original Bot Claims by Elon Musk

The original claims by Musk suggested Twitter seriously undercounted spam accounts. He stated the true number was "wildly higher than 5%" [1]. He just needed detailed information about Twitter's bot calculation methodology. His assertion pointed to fake accounts making up 20% of active users [2].

Data Analysis Proving False Numbers

Research later proved Musk wrong. A complete analysis of Twitter's active users showed bot numbers ranged from 1% to 14%, based on the topic [3]. The numbers looked even more interesting in specific discussions. Bots made up just 1% of active users but generated 31% of tweets [3].

Bot Analysis Metrics	Twitter's Claim	Musk's Claim	Actual Finding
Bot Percentage	5%	20%	1-14%
Active User Impact	Limited	Significant	1% users, 31% tweets

Impact on Twitter's Valuation

The bot controversy substantially affected Twitter's financial position. Advertisers, who bring in most of Twitter's revenue, worried about reaching real users [2]. The platform's monetizable daily active users (MDAU) metrics faced tough questions that could affect advertising rates [2].

Legal Consequences of the Deception

Twitter's board chair, Bret Taylor, took legal steps to enforce the merger agreement [1]. Notwithstanding that, Musk tried to strengthen his case by subpoenaing Peiter Zatko, Twitter's former head of security [1]. The legal fight heated up after Twitter's internal documents showed no proof of Musk's inflated bot claims [4].

Self-Driving Tesla Promises: A Timeline of Broken Deadlines

Image Source: Reddit

Musk's track record of self-driving promises goes back almost a decade. He declared in 2014 that Tesla vehicles would be "10 times safer than human drivers within six years" [5].

Tesla's Autonomous Driving Claims

Musk has repeatedly claimed autonomous driving was a "solved problem" since 2016. He stated Tesla would achieve complete autonomy within two years [3]. His bold statement in 2019 suggested Tesla owners "would not need to touch the wheel" [3]. The following year, he announced Tesla would achieve "full autonomy" by 2021 [3].

Actual Technology Capabilities

Reality tells a different story. Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system still operates at Level 2 autonomy in 2025 and needs constant driver supervision [6]. Tests of the latest FSD version 13.2.6 showed multiple disengagements across 40 miles [2]. The system doesn't deal very well with complex scenarios such as construction zones, unprotected left turns, and bad weather [3].

Safety Concerns and Accidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started investigating Tesla's FSD system after several crashes [7]. Tesla's Autopilot has been linked to 736 crashes in the US since 2019, with 17 fatal incidents [8]. A new investigation began in 2025 because of crashes in low-visibility conditions. This investigation covers 2.4 million Teslas manufactured between 2016 and 2024 [7].

Financial Impact on Tesla Investors

The gap between promises and reality has hurt Tesla's market performance. The company's stock price dropped more than 16% in five trading days [5]. Chinese rival BYD has surpassed Tesla in autonomous driving capabilities, causing Tesla's shares to fall 6.3% [5]. Investors worry about Tesla's chances of delivering on its autonomous driving promises, especially as regulators increase their scrutiny [2].

Year	Musk's Promise	Reality
2016	"Autonomous driving solved"	Level 2 system only
2019	"No wheel touch needed"	Constant supervision required
2021	"Full autonomy achieved"	Multiple system limitations
2025	"Safer than humans"	Under safety investigation

The Mark Zuckerberg Cage Match Fabrication

Image Source: BBC

The cage match saga between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg turned into yet another attention-grabbing spectacle in 2025. Musk's pattern of unfulfilled promises became clear as the story unfolded.

Musk's Public Statements

Musk kicked off the drama by challenging Zuckerberg to a cage match on X (formerly Twitter) after Meta launched Threads [9]. He made grandiose claims about hosting the fight at Rome's Colosseum instead of keeping the discussions private. Italy's Ministry of Culture quickly denied any such arrangements [10]. Musk announced that X and Meta platforms would live-stream the match, with proceeds going to veterans and Italian pediatric hospitals [11].

Zuckerberg's Response

Zuckerberg's initial response came through Instagram with a simple "send location" [9]. He backed his words with real action. He managed to keep a strict workout regimen, joined runs, and challenged colleagues to beat his times [9]. The Meta CEO took charge by suggesting August 26 as the fight date and asked UFC president Dana White to set up a legitimate charity competition [11].

Participant	Training Evidence	Fight Commitment
Zuckerberg	Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournaments, daily training	Proposed specific date
Musk	Claimed "almost never works out"	Requested backyard practice

Media Coverage vs Reality

Media frenzy peaked when Musk claimed he had talks with Italy's prime minister about an "epic location" [1]. He avoided confirming a date and cited potential shoulder surgery instead. Musk even asked for a practice round in Zuckerberg's backyard [11]. This prompted Zuckerberg to say it was "time to move on," which exposed the empty nature of Musk's challenge [11].

Pattern of Attention-Seeking Behavior

This whole ordeal fits Musk's 15-year old pattern of creating media buzz through controversial statements. Here are some examples:

• Firing employees for laughing at him [4]

• Making late-night provocative posts to his 153 million followers [12]

• Using business media's established processes to get coverage through outlandish claims [1]

Musk uses such controversies to stay in the public eye rather than focusing on Tesla or SpaceX operations. This approach matches his earlier tactics with Twitter's bot statistics and self-driving promises.

Immigration Misinformation Campaign on X

Image Source: Capital Public Radio

Musk's immigration misinformation campaign on X hit record levels when his false post about border statistics reached 37 million views [13].

False Voter Claims

Musk spread baseless theories about immigrants and elections. His posts mentioned "imported" voters from abroad at least 22 times [14]. His claims about "triple-digit increases of illegals in swing states" didn't match Department of Homeland Security data. The official numbers showed steady or declining figures in several battleground states [14].

State Impact Claims	Musk's Statement	Official Data
Swing States	Triple-digit increase	Steady/Declining
Voter Impact	Immediate voting rights	No voting rights
Citizenship Path	Fast-track process	5-10 year minimum

Border Statistics vs Musk's Statements

The numbers tell a different story than Musk's "7.3 million illegal entries" claim [13]. The actual data showed:

• Only 2.5 million migrants were released into the US [13]

• Border authorities turned away about 2.8 million people [13]

• Released migrants were mostly families [13]

Impact on Public Discourse

Musk's platform influence made immigration misinformation spread faster. His immigration posts got six times more engagement than Tesla-related content [15]. His false claims about voter fraud continued to spread, even though multiple studies proved non-citizen voting rarely happens [16].

UC Irvine law professor David Kaye pointed out how Musk's promotion of misleading immigrant statements raised red flags because of his unique influence on X [15]. The Brennan Center for Justice studied 42 jurisdictions and found only 30 cases of suspected noncitizen voting out of 23.5 million votes [16]. These numbers contradicted Musk's claims about widespread voter fraud.

Covid-19 Prediction Failures and Vaccine Misinformation

Image Source: DW

Musk's predictions about Covid-19 showed his tendency to spread misinformation. His statements misled millions of people and weakened public health initiatives.

Early Pandemic Statements

Musk made his most notorious claim on March 19, 2020. He predicted "close to zero new cases in US by end of April" [17]. This prediction turned out catastrophically wrong. The U.S. recorded about 20,000 new cases daily by April's end [18]. He called the pandemic "dumb" and described lockdown measures as "fascist" [19].

Timeline	Musk's Claims	Reality
March 2020	"Zero cases by April"	20,000 daily cases
March 2020	"Kids are immune"	Children could contract virus
Sept 2020	"Won't take vaccine"	Vaccines proved essential
2021	"Supports vaccines"	Continued spreading doubt

Scientific Evidence Contradictions

Musk's claims about ventilators showed he misunderstood medical science. He suggested that ventilators, not Covid-19, caused most patient deaths [20]. Medical experts quickly disputed this claim. They explained that ventilators were vital life-saving devices for critically ill patients [20].

Public Health Impact

Musk's statements went way beyond the reach and influence of social media. His posts about Covid-19 vaccines got unprecedented attention. He made unfounded claims about cardiac arrests and side effects [21]. The World Health Organization highlighted how such misinformation affected public health decisions. People made choices about their families' health based on this information [22].

His platform's influence spread these false narratives further. A complete analysis revealed that nearly one-third of his 171 posts contained misleading information in just five days [23]. These posts reached hundreds of millions of viewers and swayed public opinion about vital health measures [22].

The Hyperloop Fantasy: Promises vs Reality

Image Source: elpais english - EL PAÍS

The hyperloop concept, like Musk's other grand promises, became one of his most ambitious yet unfulfilled ventures. A complete feasibility study showed the clear gap between promises and reality [24].

Original Timeline Claims

Musk released his white paper in 2013. He promised travel between Los Angeles and San Francisco in 35 minutes at speeds reaching 760 mph [3]. We projected costs of only USD 6 billion [25]. The plan called for commercial operations by 2020. Hyperloop One executives boldly claimed there would be "working hyperloops around the world by 2020" [26].

Technical Feasibility Issues

Engineering realities revealed several critical challenges. The structural analysis showed that keeping a near-vacuum in tubes created major safety risks [27]. The system needed these requirements:

• A thousandfold pressure difference between tube walls

• Many expansion joints to handle temperature changes of 50 degrees Celsius

• Complex safety systems to prevent catastrophic decompression scenarios [28]

Technical Challenge	Impact	Engineering Reality
Vacuum Maintenance	Safety Risk	Catastrophic decompression threat
Thermal Expansion	Structural Integrity	Required expansion joints every few km
Construction Cost	Financial Viability	USD 200 million per kilometer [28]

Abandoned Projects and Wasted Resources

The industry faced major setbacks. Virgin Hyperloop shut down operations in December 2023 [3] after raising USD 450 million in venture capital [26]. The North Central Texas Council dropped their hyperloop plans for their high-speed corridor [29]. Transportation experts worldwide rejected the concept because of underestimated operational complexity and safety concerns [28].

The Hyperloop Development Program's 2025 review revealed a harsh truth. Despite attracting USD 400 million in funding and Richard Branson's backing, the technology remained commercially unviable [30]. The Gotthard Base Tunnel's cost of USD 10.5 billion for just 57 kilometers [28] exposed how unrealistic Musk's original USD 6 billion estimate was for a much longer route [25].

Mars Colony Timeline Deception

Image Source: Reddit

Elon Musk's Mars colonization timeline stands as proof of his unrealistic promises. His company SpaceX's changing deadlines for Mars missions represent a pattern where capabilities are overstated and challenges are underestimated.

SpaceX's Promised Deadlines

We have seen Musk's timeline for Mars colonization change several times. He projected manned missions within six years back in 2016 [31]. The deadline changed to 2029 for the first crewed landing by 2022 [6]. His boldest claim suggests building a self-sustaining city on Mars by 2050. This would need one million people transported using a thousand Starships [6].

Year Announced	Promise	Timeline
2016	First Mars Mission	2022
2022	Crewed Landing	2029
2024	Self-Sustaining Colony	2050

Scientific Challenges Ignored

The technical hurdles to Mars colonization remain daunting. The trip faces several critical challenges:

• Radiation exposure equivalent to 150-6,000 chest x-rays [32]

• Mars gravity at 38% of Earth's, affecting human physiology [33]

• Limited understanding of long-term space effects, with no human spending more than 437 days in space [34]

Scientists stress that a Mars colony needs solutions to fundamental survival problems. The planet's atmosphere contains mostly CO2 with trace elements and provides little protection from cosmic radiation [33]. Earth would need to constantly resupply basic necessities like food and water at astronomical transportation costs [34].

Current Space Program Status

SpaceX's Mars program reality falls far short of Musk's grand visions. The company plans only five uncrewed Starship launches to Mars during the next available transfer window in 2026 [6]. Sending someone to Mars costs "around USD 10 billion per person" [31]. This makes the goal of a million-person colony financially impossible.

Transportation experts across the globe disagree with many of Musk's claims because he underestimates operational complexity [32]. Crews would spend 80 to 150 days in transit [6], facing unprecedented physical and psychological challenges. Earth would remain more habitable than Mars even after a nuclear war [7]. This fact undermines Musk's argument for Mars as humanity's backup plan.

Platform Moderation Council Myth

Image Source: The Verge

Musk made another promise that would fall apart soon after his USD 44 billion Twitter acquisition. His commitment to create a content moderation council marked the start of a fundamental change in platform safety.

Original Promises

Musk announced the creation of a "content moderation council" to bring together views from a variety of perspectives on October 28, 2022 [8]. We focused on his assurance that "no major content decisions or account reinstatements would happen before the council convenes" [8]. This announcement wanted to ease advertisers' worries, as Musk declared the platform "cannot become a free-for-all hellscape" [8].

Actual Policy Implementation

Reality turned out quite differently. Musk soon dissolved the platform's Trust and Safety Council - a volunteer advisory group of human rights leaders and academics that formed in 2016 [35]. The moderation team saw massive cuts, leaving only:

• 2,294 content moderators in the EU [5]

• 12 Arabic-speaking moderators

• 81 German-speaking staff

• Single moderator each for Polish and Dutch content [5]

Language	Number of Moderators
Arabic	12
German	81
Spanish	20
Polish	1
Dutch	1

Effect on Content Moderation

These changes had serious consequences. Hate speech grew by 50%, jumping from 2,179 to 3,246 posts weekly [35]. User engagement with hateful content increased by 70% right away [35]. The European Commission responded by launching formal infringement proceedings against X under the Digital Services Act, focusing on:

• Risk management deficiencies

• Content moderation failures

• Advertising transparency issues [5]

X now relies heavily on AI and community notes, but this strategy hasn't worked well enough [5]. The platform faces potential fines up to 10% of annual global revenue because of these moderation failures [5].

Tesla Going Private Funding Claims

Image Source: SEC.gov

Elon Musk's single tweet in August 2018 revealed one of his most expensive deceptions that cost investors billions and sparked legal battles lasting until 2025.

The '420' Tweet Analysis

We examined Musk's notorious tweet from August 7, 2018. He announced plans to take Tesla private at USD 420 per share - a 23% premium above the previous day's closing price [2]. Tesla shares jumped 11% to USD 387.46 after this announcement [36]. Musk reinforced his claim later that day by tweeting " investor support is confirmed" [2].

SEC Investigation Findings

The Securities and Exchange Commission was quick to investigate these statements. Their investigation uncovered:

Impact Category	Financial Cost
SEC Settlement	USD 40 million
Investor Losses	USD 12 billion
Stock Drop	9% decline

The investigation showed Musk had no formal commitments from potential backers, including Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund [9]. His lawyer later acknowledged the "funding secured" tweet was "technically inaccurate" [9].

Investor Losses and Legal Consequences

Investors faced devastating consequences. Tesla's market value dropped substantially after August 17, 2018, as the truth came to light [2]. An economist estimated investor losses at USD 12 billion [9].

The SEC settlement required:

• Musk to step down as Tesla's chairman

• Both Musk and Tesla to pay USD 20 million in fines

• Company executives to review Musk's tweets about Tesla [36]

Musk managed to keep his CEO position despite these penalties. A federal California jury surprised everyone by finding him not liable for investor losses in February 2023 [36]. The jury took less than two hours to decide, suggesting they didn't believe Musk's statements had enough weight to influence investors' trading decisions [11].

X Premium Verification Scam

Image Source: TechCrunch

X's verification system changed from a trust indicator to a paid service, showing another misleading promise from Musk's leadership.

Original Blue Check Claims

Blue checkmarks worked as verification badges for notable accounts to ensure authenticity and credibility before Musk bought X [37]. These marks helped users spot legitimate information sources and public figures [38]. Musk promised the new verification system would get rid of bots and improve platform integrity when he took control [39].

Actual System Implementation

The new system only needs a USD 8.00 monthly subscription for verification [37], which contradicts the original promises. The European Union called this practice deceptive because it affects users' judgment about content authenticity [37]. A detailed analysis shows the current verification process has no proper identity checks for anyone except verified organizations [40].

Verification Aspect	Before Musk	After Implementation
Cost	Free	USD 8.00 monthly
Requirements	Notable status	Subscription payment
Identity Check	Thorough	Minimal
Purpose	Authenticity	Revenue generation

Impersonation Issues and Consequences

The changes proved disastrous for platform integrity. Scammers bought verification to create fake profiles that looked legitimate [41]. These verified imposters ran several schemes:

• Cryptocurrency scams using Musk's name

• Fake airline refund schemes

• Fraudulent customer service accounts

The European Commission started formal proceedings against X and labeled the verification system a "dark pattern" that leads to deception [37]. X's efforts to curb impersonation through government ID verification stayed limited and weren't available in the EU, EEA, and UK [40]. The system failed to deliver its main goal of reducing bots, which kept hurting the platform's credibility [42].

Comparison Table

Lie/Deception	Year	Original Claim	Reality	Effects & Consequences	Financial/Numerical Results
Twitter Bot Statistics	2022	20% of accounts were bots	1-14% bot presence	Legal fight with Twitter board	Affected $44B acquisition deal
Self-Driving Tesla	2016-2025	"Autonomous driving solved" by 2021	Still at Level 2 autonomy	NHTSA started investigations	736 crashes, 17 fatal incidents
Zuckerberg Cage Match	2025	Fight at Rome Colosseum for charity	Never took place	Damaged public trust	N/A
Immigration Claims	2025	"7.3M illegal entries"	2.5M actual releases	Spread of false information	37M views on false post
COVID-19 Predictions	2020	"Zero cases by April 2020"	20,000 daily cases by April	Weakened public health response	Reached hundreds of millions
Hyperloop	2013	LA to SF in 35min for $6B	Not technically possible	Projects stopped	Actual cost: $200M per km
Mars Colony	2016	Manned mission by 2022	No human missions planned	New timeline set to 2029	~$10B cost per person
Moderation Council	2022	Diverse council for content decisions	Never formed, council disbanded	50% rise in hate speech	Possible 10% annual revenue fine
Tesla Going Private	2018	"Funding secured" at $420/share	No actual funding secured	SEC probe & settlement	$40M fine, $12B investor losses
X Premium Verification	2022	Would remove bots & boost integrity	Became paid subscription service	More impersonation problems	$8 monthly subscription model

Conclusion

Musk's statements through 2025 show how he misled billions of viewers with false claims. These weren't just one-off mistakes. His deceptive statements touched everything from public health to transportation technology, and they had real-life consequences.

The facts tell a simple story. Musk made big promises about self-driving Teslas, Mars colonies, and platform moderation councils that didn't match reality. He downplayed the challenges every step of the way. His posts about immigration reached 37 million viewers, and his wrong COVID-19 predictions could have swayed health decisions for millions of people.

This goes way beyond social media drama. Tesla's investors lost $12 billion from just one "funding secured" tweet. X (formerly Twitter) might face fines up to 10% of its yearly revenue because it failed to moderate content. The hyperloop dream burned through hundreds of millions in venture capital. His claims about self-driving cars led to hundreds of crashes.

The whole ordeal shows how one influential person's false statements can change public conversations and market behavior. We lost more than just money. This has damaged people's trust and slowed down progress on society's most important challenges.

References

[1] - https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/on-elon-vs-zuck-and-elons-use-controversy-maximize-media-attention/690714/

[2] - https://www.reuters.com/legal/tesla-investors-lose-bid-new-us-trial-over-musks-2018-tweets-2024-11-06/

[3] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperloop

[4] -https://www.reddit.com/r/elonmusk/comments/yzs5yx/is_elon_really_an_attention_seeker_like_how_he/

[5] - https://fortune.com/2023/12/18/elon-musk-x-content-moderation-infringement-eu-dsa-israel-hamas/

[6] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Mars_colonization_program

[7] - https://universemagazine.com/en/elon-musks-martian-dreams-genius-idea-or-recipe-for-disaster/

[8] - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/oct/28/elon-musk-twitter-moderation-council-free-speech

[9] - https://www.reuters.com/legal/securities-fraud-trial-over-elon-musks-2018-tweets-draws-close-2023-02-03/

[10] - https://www.vox.com/culture/2023/6/23/23771769/musk-zuckerberg-cage-match-fight-ufc-mma

[11] - https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/02/03/elon-musk-tesla-verdict/

[12] - https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2023-08-16-stop-giving-narcissist-musk-the-attention-he-craves/

[13] - https://fair.org/home/fox-news-border-stats-distort-immigration-reality/

[14] - https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czd5l0d3794o

[15] - https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-06-03/elon-musk-immigration

[16] - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-noncitizen-voter-fraud-fact-check/

[17] - https://www.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-predicted-close-zero-165800587.html

[18] - https://gizmodo.com/elon-musks-worst-predictions-and-broken-promises-1851398745/6

[19] - https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/elon-musk-twitter-misinformation-timeline-1235076786/

[20] - https://science.feedback.org/review/elon-musk-claim-ventilators-killed-covid-patients-confuses-correlation-causation/

[21] - https://www.bbc.com/news/health-66313916

[22] - https://healthpolicy-watch.news/who-health-misinformation-musk-twitter/

[23] - https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/03/13/elon-musks-false-covid-predictions-a-timeline/

[24] - https://www.morpc.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/HYPERLOOP-FEASIBILITY-STUDY.pdf

[25] - https://rail.nridigital.com/future_rail_mar21/hyperloop_rail_system_timeline

[26] - https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/21/24011448/hyperloop-one-shut-down-layoff-closing-elon-musk

[27] - https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-technical-challenges-of-building-a-hyperloop-system

[28] - https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-hyperloop-a-200-year-history-of-hype-and-failure/

[29] - https://cal.streetsblog.org/2022/02/22/reality-overtakes-hyperloop

[30] - https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2024/9/18/the-future-of-travel-for-hyperloop-its-one-step-forward-two-steps-back

[31] - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/sep/27/elon-musk-spacex-mars-colony

[32] - https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-plan-colonize-mars-plan-unrealistic-scientists-explain-2023-10

[33] - https://www.spacex.com/mars

[34] - https://nypost.com/2023/11/18/lifestyle/city-on-mars-explores-pitfalls-of-colonizing-the-cosmos/

[35] - https://theconversation.com/hate-speech-on-x-surged-for-at-least-8-months-after-elon-musk-takeover-new-research-249603

[36] - https://www.sewkis.com/?post_type=publications&p=14391

[37] - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/european-union-says-blue-checks-on-elon-musks-x-are-deceptive-breach-social-media-laws

[38] - https://www.the-independent.com/tech/x-blue-tick-checkmark-eu-musk-b2578843.html

[39] - https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/apr/12/x-will-stop-users-hiding-check-marks/

[40] - https://www.engadget.com/x-attempts-to-fight-impersonation-with-government-id-verification-104016771.html

[41] - https://cyberguy.com/scams/verification-scams-hitting-elon-musks-x-after-changing-former-twitter-checkmarks/

[42] - https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/22/x-still-has-a-verified-bot-problem-this-time-they-came-for-techcrunch-writers/