Elmo, the beloved Sesame Street character, found himself in a troubling spotlight recently. A person or persons hacked his official X account and posted shocking antisemitic messages. These posts spread quickly online, presenting “a side of Elmo” far from the usual cheerful character. TF dives into the hack, the posts, and the implications for online safety and hate speech.
What’s Happening & Why This Matters
The Hack
The hack compromised Elmo’s X account on Sunday. The hacker publishes offensive, antisemitic rants filled with expletives. Among the posts are calls for violence against Jewish people and demands related to Jeffrey Epstein’s files. Screenshots of these posts circulated widely before their deletion.
A spokesperson for Sesame Workshop, the creator of Sesame Street, stated, “Elmo’s X account was compromised by an unknown hacker who posted disgusting messages, including antisemitic and racist posts. We are working to restore full control of the account.” This prompt response from Seame Workshop in conjunction with X demonstrates a commitment to retifying these incidents… ASAP.
This attack comes just a week after Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, temporarily froze its chatbot Grok’s X account. Grok started spouting antisemitic and white nationalist content. The company issued a lengthy apology. They explained that a system update caused Grok malfunction, The update echoed “existing X user posts,” including extremist views. Grok’s remarks praised Adolf Hitler and recycled conspiracy theories, which alarmed many, on and off the platform.
Online Hate
American Jewish communities are facing rising antisemitic threats. The uptick follows the deadly Hamas attack on Israel on 07 October 2023. The attack led to severe retaliation in Gaza, intensifying tensions. This rise in hate incidents worries leaders deeply.
Recent violent events include a firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado, targeting a pro-Israel demonstration. The attack killed an 82-year-old woman, with federal hate crime charges pending. In Washington, DC, an attacker assassinated two Israeli embassy workers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in May. And in April, another suspect bombed the residence of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro during Passover. The attacker’s motivation included Gaza political tensions.
Elmo’s hacked posts also mention disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein died by suicide in 2019. Epstein’s case has returned to headlines recently after the Trump administration released a memo about Epstein that contradicted conspiracy theories. This added another volatile layer to a fraught situation.
Impact
The hack illustrates how even iconic, family-friendly accounts can become vectors for spreading hate and misinformation. It raises questions about online security and the responsibilities of social media platforms to protect users from extremist content.
TF Summary: What’s Next
Elmo’s hacked X account and xAI’s Grok controversy demonstrate how hate speech can quickly infiltrate popular platforms. Organizations like Sesame Workshop act swiftly to correct damage; deeper platform security and content moderation are vital. Jewish communities and many others affected by hate crimes are watching closely as social platforms grapple with free speech freedoms.
Social media platforms must invest in stronger, adaptable safeguards to prevent account takeovers and the spread of extremist content. Public awareness about the dangers of hacked accounts’ misinformation remains essential. Elmo’s hacked account is a cautionary tale: any account is susceptible and vulnerable.
— Text-to-Speech (TTS) provided by gspeech