In the digital age, social media platforms wield immense influence over public discourse, shaping how we engage with politics, news, and ideas. With Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, the platform has experienced a radical transformation, both in terms of its content moderation policies and its algorithms. Musk’s vision for Twitter, promoting a marketplace of free speech, has raised significant concerns—not just about the spread of misinformation, but also about the potential for the platform to be used as a tool for political manipulation.
As Poilievre prepares for the upcoming federal election, many have raised alarm over the increasing signs that Musk is using Twitter’s algorithm to boost Poilievre’s political profile, potentially tilting the democratic process in the Conservative leader’s favour. So, the team at North report decided to look into these claims. By examining some statistics from our friends over at Popsters, the social media content analytics platform, there is no absolutely doubt that X (formerly Twitter) is attempting to prop up Pierre Poilievre by any means possible.
Originally, this article was going to be about just how much Pierre Poilievre tweets (it's a lot), but we ended up stumbling upon something much more sinister. This isn’t merely a matter of social media dynamics; it represents a dangerous intersection of wealth, power, and unchecked influence that risks undermining the integrity of democratic elections.
The Troubling Statistics
When we were looking to outline just how much Pierre Poilievre tweets (around 15-20 times a day), we wanted to have a prominent Canadian politician to compare those numbers to. So, who better to compare him to than the sitting Canadian Prime Minister himself, Justin Trudeau. Now, if you are wondering, Poilievre tweets around 60 times a week, which is a lot in comparison to Trudeau's about 25 on average. However, if you have ever read Pierre Poilievre's tweets, it is probable that he is not actually tweeting any of this himself. His posts sound AI-generated and often include memes mocking the Prime Minister and are plastered with slogans and hashtags. Seeing as Poilievre appears to only speak in slogans, it is not out of the question that he posts these tweets himself, but we imagine he has a team running his social media accounts. That is now besides the point. The real story here is not how much Poilievre tweets, but rather the attention he receives on those tweets, which uncovers a sinister plan being carried out by Elon Musk to ensure that Poilievre is successful in the next election.
Let's go through some of the numbers.
For starters, Pierre Poilievre only has just under two million followers on X, a far cry from Prime Minister Trudeau's nearly seven million. One would expect, then, that Trudeau receives more attention on his tweets, right?
Wrong.
On average, Pierre Poilievre is averaging nearly 5000 likes per post, and close to 2500 retweets. Trudeau, who has over 4.5 million more followers, receives under 4000 likes per post, and under 1000 retweets. If you are thinking that these numbers don't add up, you would be correct.
The most puzzling part about these numbers is that Trudeau's tweets are viewed nearly 5 time more than Poilievre's. Considering the substantially more amount of followers PMJT has, that is no surprise. What is surprising, is that despite having millions of more followers and close to 500,000 more impressions per post, Trudeau receives nowhere near the amount of likes and retweets that Poilievre does.
Here is a breakdown for you to look at yourself:
This should scare the hell out of Canadians.
Musk's Involvement in the 2024 American Election
Twitter’s algorithm operates on the principle of maximizing engagement, promoting tweets that generate the most interaction. This has always been the core of how Twitter amplifies content, regardless of its political alignment. But under Musk’s ownership, this algorithm has evolved to further prioritize content that aligns with his own worldview, which increasingly skews toward right-wing populism.
Recent data suggests that Trump’s content has been particularly boosted by Twitter’s algorithm since Musk’s takeover. Trump, who had previously been removed from the platform for his role in spreading misinformation and encouraging violence, saw his follower count increase dramatically after his return. While his posts have been largely unmoderated, they have received widespread amplification, sometimes reaching millions of users within hours.
Musk’s interactions with Trump’s account go beyond passive support. He has repeatedly liked and retweeted posts from Trump, which not only boosts their visibility but also signals to Twitter’s algorithm that Trump’s content is worth prioritizing. Given Musk’s immense influence over the platform’s direction, this type of engagement appears to be a deliberate attempt to give Trump a platform and amplify his political messages—at the expense of balanced discourse.
It’s not just Trump who benefits from this shift in Twitter’s algorithm; a wide range of right-wing figures have seen their accounts grow in influence and visibility. From far-right activists to Republican lawmakers, Twitter’s unmoderated environment has given extremists an unprecedented stage. Content that aligns with Trump’s "America First" agenda—anti-immigration, anti-LGBTQ+, climate change denial, and populist economic rhetoric—has flourished on the platform.
This phenomenon is part of a broader trend where far-right narratives, which had previously been relegated to fringe platforms like Parler or Truth Social, have now been mainstreamed on Twitter. In particular, figures who advocate for violent rhetoric, conspiracy theories, and anti-democratic ideologies have found a receptive audience, thanks to Musk’s changes to the platform. By giving these voices a megaphone, Musk has created a fertile environment for right-wing extremism to spread unchecked.
The Role of Bots
Another alarming trend is the increase in bot accounts and fake users amplifying right-wing content. Since Musk’s overhaul, Twitter has seen an explosion in the number of automated accounts that push pro-Trump and pro-right-wing messages. These bots engage in coordinated campaigns to amplify certain political narratives, spread misinformation, and drown out dissenting voices. While Musk has claimed that he would remove fake accounts, the reality is that the platform has become more susceptible to manipulation than ever before.
The combination of human amplification from Musk himself and the bot-driven campaigns creates an artificial echo chamber that serves to further entrench Trump’s base of support, and now apparently other right-wing politicians in other country's, including Canada. This manipulation had a profound effect on the 2024 election, as voters exposed to this content became more likely to buy into Trump’s claims of election fraud, misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic, or his promises of "draining the swamp."
The Implications for Canadian Democracy
Just as Musk showed allegiance to Donald Trump, both publicly and through boosting engagement using the Twitter algorithm, he now appears to be doing the same for Pierre Poilievre. In the last couple of weeks, Musk has not outright endorsed Poilievre, however he has tweeted frequently about his disdain for Justin Trudeau. Just this week, in fact, he called Justin Trudeau "a tool" and claimed "he would be out of power soon". Musk's personal contempt for Trudeau is one thing, but the now obvious attempts to use his social media platform to influence the upcoming Canadian federal election opens up an entirely new can of worms.
First and foremost, Musk’s control over Twitter’s algorithm gives him unprecedented power to shape public discourse. If he uses this power to amplify Poilievre’s political message, he is not merely participating in the democratic process—he is actively tilting the playing field in favor of one candidate, influencing voters without their knowledge or consent.
Second, the amplification of Poilievre’s often misleading and dangerous rhetoric is a direct threat to informed democratic decision-making. By giving Poilievre an outsized platform, Musk is helping to spread misinformation at a time when trust in traditional media and political institutions is already eroding. This makes it even more difficult for Canadian voters to make informed choices, as they are increasingly exposed to a stream of politically charged, algorithmically curated content.
The relationship between Elon Musk and Pierre Poilievre is more than just a political alignment—it’s a dangerous entanglement of wealth, power, and influence over public discourse. Musk’s manipulation of Twitter’s algorithm to boost Poilievre’s messaging is a blatant example of how tech billionaires can wield their platforms as tools of political power.
For Canadian democracy to remain healthy, there must be transparency and accountability in how platforms like Twitter operate. The use of algorithmic amplification to push a specific political agenda—whether for Poilievre or anyone else—is a direct threat to the fairness of democratic elections. As Musk continues to reshape Twitter in his image, the broader public must demand greater scrutiny of these practices. Democracy is too important to be left in the hands of tech moguls with a vested interest in the outcome.
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