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Distant Reading Case Study "Elon Musk" ​

INFO

To use this case study in your classroom presentations, you can download csv data tables and txt files for several of the videos and podcasts mentioned below. If emojis or special characters appear distorted in Voyant Tools, you may need to use a different character encoding. Read more about it under data cleaning.

From Twitter Takeover to Political Power? ​

In 2022, the Machines of Knowledge course used Twitter data to analyse public reactions to Elon Musk’s takeover of the platform, which has since been rebranded "X". The event marked a turning point in discussions about digital governance, online freedom of speech, and the role of powerful tech entrepreneurs in shaping public discourse.

The dataset we collected in October 2022 was not only controversial in terms of content but also difficult to analyse because of a high amount of advertising and spam, including bot posts. Soon after, we had to stop using Twitter / X data for teaching when academic API access was stopped.

Nevertheless, Elon Musk's activities in business and politics remain an interesting case for media studies scholars. Musk's shifting conflicts and collaborations with figures like Donald Trump and his recent statements about founding a new political party in the US make him a key example for examining the democratic implications of platform power.

Exploring YouTube comments ​

To extend this discussion, students may now analyse YouTube comments. Each of the three videos suggested below represents a different facet of Musk’s public persona and invites reflection on his audiences and digital publics more generally.

Joe Rogan Experience #2404 – interview with Elon Musk ​

Joe Rogan Experience #2404 – Elon Musk

This long-form interview on a popular American podcasting channel provides insight into how Musk crafts his self-image as a visionary entrepreneur and free-thinking innovator. Students should consider how the platform’s tone and audience shape the discussion and what kinds of admiration or criticism emerge in the comments.

b) Elon Musk and DOGE Team Give Behind-the-Scenes Look at Their Mission ​

Elon Musk and DOGE Team Give Behind-the-Scenes Look at Their Mission

This video links Musk to the world of digital finance and speculative economies. It covers the "mission" behind the infamous Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) established in the early days of Trump's second presidency. Analysing the comments offers an opportunity to explore the overlaps between fan cultures, financial optimism, and populist politics in the US.

c) Elon Musk Says He Is Launching New Political Party (BBC News) ​

Elon Musk Says He Is Launching New Political Party | BBC News

This video is a British news report on Musk’s political ambitions. Here, students can examine how audiences respond to Musk’s move into formal politics, the tone of political discussion on YouTube, and the degree to which platform comment sections serve as spaces of democratic debate or polarisation.

Tasks to perform in Voyant Tools ​

1. High-Level Analysis: Word Clouds and Frequencies ​

  • Inspect the word cloud and frequency table. Which key terms dominate the discussion?
  • Identify recurring themes, such as technology, politics, celebrity, finance, or ideology.
  • What kinds of emotional expressions are most common (admiration, irony, hostility, frustration)?
  • How do you interpret these linguistic patterns in relation to the video topic and the hosting channel?

2. Comparative Analysis Using “Trends” ​

  • Compare the frequency of words related to political discourse (party, vote, freedom, democracy) to those related to commerce (business, money, revenue) or fandom (genius, star).
  • How does the prominence of these terms differ across the three videos?
  • Do you observe shifts in tone or topic throughout the comment thread?

3. Co-Occurrence Analysis ​

  • Use the Terms Berry and Links tools to explore which words co-occur with Musk.
  • Identify how he is positioned in relation to other figures (Trump, Rogan, Bezos, Biden).
  • Which clusters of meaning (politics, innovation, controversy) emerge around his name?

4. Reading Keywords in Context ​

  • Use wildcard searches such as politic*, free*, or truth* to check related words.
  • What do these terms reveal about commenters and their political orientations?
  • Are these discussions polarised or ironic?

5. Drawing General Conclusions ​

  • What broader narratives about power, democracy, and technology emerge from these datasets?
  • How do users construct or contest Musk’s public persona?
  • What do these findings suggest about the state of the digital public sphere?
  • How might these observations differ from earlier debates about Musk on Twitter in 2022?

Cited Works and Further Readings ​

  • Bisbee, J., & Munger, K. (2025). The vibes are off: Did Elon Musk push academics off Twitter? PS: Political Science & Politics, 58(1), 139–146. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049096524000416
  • Chang, C. H., Deshmukh, N. R., Armsworth, P. R., & Masuda, Y. J. (2023). Environmental users abandoned Twitter after Musk takeover. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 38(10), 893–895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2023.07.002
  • Hickey, D., Schmitz, M., Fessler, D., Smaldino, P. E., Muric, G., & Burghardt, K. (2023). Auditing Elon Musk’s impact on hate speech and bots. Proceedings of the International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, 17(1), 1133–1137. https://doi.org/10.1609/icwsm.v17i1.22222
  • Voinea, D. V. (2022). Taking over Twitter – Balancing free speech and content moderation. Annals of the University of Craiova for Journalism, Communication and Management, 8(1), 139–144. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15249275
  • Wang, R., Zhang, Y., Suk, J., & Levin, S. H. (2024). Empowered or constrained in platform governance? An analysis of Twitter users’ responses to Elon Musk’s takeover. Social Media + Society, 10(3), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051241277606