Elmo’s X Account Hacked with Anti-Semitic and Racist Posts
Elmo’s X account was briefly compromised by an unknown hacker who published disgusting messages, including anti-Semitic and racist contributions, on Sunday. A spokesman for the Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind "Sesame Street", confirmed that the account has now been secured.
Details of the Hack
The hacked posts contained anti-Semitic comments and remarks about President Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender. The posts were removed on Sunday afternoon, shortly after they were published on the platform. The account, which has over 600,000 followers, has been verified and secured.
Recent Incidents of Anti-Semitic Comments
The incident occurred just days after the team behind Elon Musk’s X AI chatbot deleted several posts on Musk’s X, in which the chatbot made anti-Semitic comments and praised Adolf Hitler. The company later apologized for the incident.
Rise of Anti-Semitic Speech on X
Musk and X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, have been criticized for an increase in anti-Semitic and other hate speech on the website since he took over ownership in October 2022. Musk has allowed previously banned users to return to the platform, including Andrew Tate, Kanye West, and some notorious neo-Nazi figures, and has reduced content moderation in the name of freedom of speech.
Increase in Anti-Semitic Incidents
The Anti-Defamation League has reported an increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the US, with 9,354 incidents recorded nationwide in 2024, the highest number since the organization began tracking incidents over four decades ago. This represents a 5% increase in incidents since 2023 and an increase of 893% over the past ten years.
