Feb 21, (V7N) - Elon Musk stated on Thursday that the Community Notes feature on his social media platform, X, was being manipulated in discussions about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He promised to address the issue.

Musk's comments came after former U.S. President Donald Trump, once supportive of Zelensky, recently criticized him, labeling him a "dictator" and blaming him for starting the war with Russia—claims that align with Russian propaganda.

Trump's shift led to an influx of posts on X from users, including European officials and journalists, defending Ukraine and Zelensky. Many relied on the Community Notes feature to challenge misleading content.

"Unfortunately, @CommunityNotes is increasingly being manipulated by governments and traditional media. We are working on a fix," Musk wrote on X.

He further argued that any poll conducted under Zelensky’s administration regarding his approval rating was unreliable. Musk insisted that Zelensky was widely disliked in Ukraine and accused him of avoiding elections to maintain power.

Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While Zelensky’s five-year term ended last year, Ukrainian law does not mandate elections during wartime.

A recent poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology showed that 57 percent of Ukrainians approve of Zelensky’s leadership, confirming his legitimacy.

Social media continues to be a major source of news in the U.S., where traditional media outlets are rapidly declining. However, misinformation remains a significant issue.

After acquiring Twitter (now X) in 2022, Musk introduced Community Notes as part of his overhaul of the platform’s moderation system. In response, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, recently announced plans to adopt a similar approach instead of relying on professional fact-checkers.

Trump's recent rhetoric on Ukraine has also drawn criticism from some moderate Republicans.

"Putin initiated this war. He has committed war crimes and silenced his opponents. The European Union has provided more support to Ukraine. Zelensky’s approval rating exceeds 50 percent. Ukraine aspires to be part of the West, while Putin opposes the West," Republican congressman Don Bacon from Nebraska posted on X.

"I refuse to accept Orwellian doublethink," he added, referencing George Orwell’s novel 1984.