58% of McGregor’s Presidential Campaign Posts on X Were Misinformation or Threats
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58% of McGregor’s Presidential Campaign Posts on X Were Misinformation or Threats
Text: Izzy Copestake
Surprise surprise…
A new report conducted by the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) Ireland (in collaboration with Dublin City University) has revealed that over half of Conor McGregor’s posts on X promoting his run for presidency were filled with either false claims or threats.
This study examined 127 posts by McGregor on X, which were published between January and September this year, relating to the presidency. Researchers concluded that 58% of his content misrepresented key aspects of the Irish constitution, the role of the presidency, or historical facts.
Conor McGregor’s brief presidential campaign actively spread misinformation, personal attacks, and extremist rhetoric to millions around the world, according to a report.
The study also found that McGregor’s posts also included worrying elements beyond misinformation: 28% featured ethnonationalist rhetoric, and several targeted government figures with hostile language, labeling them as “traitors” or enemies of the people. Even more alarmingly, at least six posts hinted at political violence, specifically aimed at migrants and public officials.
What’s worse, platform safeguards designed to flag misinformation failed to act. 23 of McGregor’s posts were flagged with suggested fact-checks by X’s Community Notes, but none were officially activated. This allowed false content to spread unchecked. In fact, Elon Musk, who owns X, openly supported McGregor’s campaign. He engaged directly with McGregor’s posts and helped spread false information about the Irish election. The report concluded that McGregor’s tweets reached over 108 million people worldwide.
McGregor officially pulled out of the presidential race on Monday, though “pulled out” is the term he used. His campaign never got off the ground. He failed to win a single nomination from local councils or Oireachtas members, falling well short of the legal threshold to get on the ballot. The former MMA fighter, who was found liable for rape in a civil trial last year, had been scheduled to make a last-ditch attempt to secure support from Dublin City Council and Kildare County Council this week. That never happened. However, the report has argued that his campaign alone has wider implications.
“While Conor McGregor was never likely to secure a presidential nomination, his campaign has wider implications,” the report read. “It highlights how Ireland fits into an international political trend that merges celebrity, online movements, and the vast resources of billionaires to seed and normalise anti-democratic and authoritarian ideas… It would be a mistake to dismiss these dynamics.”
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