Elon Musk settles lawsuits over $1 million voter giveaway
News Source
β’2026-10-17T12:39:44-04:00
π° What Happened
In 2024, Elon Musk promised to give $1 million a day to a randomly picked registered voter in a swing state. Two Arizona residents sued, saying the giveaway was a fraud. Musk has now agreed to settle both lawsuits, which were filed in Austin, Texas. The amount is not public.
The plaintiffs say they never would have signed the petition needed to enter if they had known the winners were not really random. They say it was really a trick to collect personal data, with no limits on how that data could be used or sold.
π The Backstory
The suits got stronger when a lawyer for Musk's America PAC told a judge that the $1 million winners were not chosen by chance. That directly contradicted what Musk said in public. Philadelphia's district attorney also went to court to try to stop the giveaway, calling it an illegal lottery.
Musk's team has not explained the settlement. The case is one of several legal fights over how far famous tech figures can go when they mix money, politics and social media.
π― Why It Matters
It shows that splashy public promises can end in quiet settlements, and that entering a contest for a prize can mean handing over your data with few limits.
In 2024, Elon Musk promised to give $1 million a day to a randomly picked registered voter in a swing state. Two Arizona residents sued, saying the giveaway was a fraud. Musk has now agreed to settle both lawsuits, which were filed in Austin, Texas. The amount is not public.
The plaintiffs say they never would have signed the petition needed to enter if they had known the winners were not really random. They say it was really a trick to collect personal data, with no limits on how that data could be used or sold.
The suits got stronger when a lawyer for Musk's America PAC told a judge that the $1 million winners were not chosen by chance. That directly contradicted what Musk said in public. Philadelphia's district attorney also went to court to try to stop the giveaway, calling it an illegal lottery.
Musk's team has not explained the settlement. The case is one of several legal fights over how far famous tech figures can go when they mix money, politics and social media.
It shows that splashy public promises can end in quiet settlements, and that entering a contest for a prize can mean handing over your data with few limits.