Anonymous users are dominating right-wing discussions online. They also spread false information

NEW YORK (AP) — The reposts and expressions of shock from public figures followed quickly after a user on the social platform X who uses a pseudonym claimed that a government website had revealed “skyrocketing” rates of voters registering without a photo ID in three states this year — two of them crucial to the presidential contest.

“Extremely concerning,” X owner Elon Musk replied twice to the post this past week.

“Are migrants registering to vote using SSN?” Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, an ally of former President Donald Trump, asked on Instagram, using the acronym for Social Security number.

Trump himself posted to his own social platform within hours to ask, “Who are all those voters registering without a Photo ID in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Arizona??? What is going on???”

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«More misinformation reporting» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> More misinformation reporting </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Election misinformation is a problem in any language. But some gets more attention than others </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Fake Mossad account spreads misinformation about airstrike that killed aid workers in Gaza </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Arizona expects to be back at the center of election attacks. Its top officials are going on offense </bsp-custom-headline> </bsp-list-loadmore>

State election officials soon found themselves forced to respond. They said the user, who pledges to fight, expose and mock “wokeness,” was wrong and had distorted Social Security