Elmo’s X Account Targeted by Antisemitic Hackers
Elmo account hacked on July 14, with antisemitic posts prompting swift condemnation from Sesame Workshop. The incident occurred just ahead of a Senate vote on public media funding.
The now-deleted posts promoted violence against Jews, made inflammatory statements about Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, and referenced Jeffrey Epstein in conspiracy-laced content.
Sesame Workshop Responds Swiftly
In a public statement, Sesame Workshop described the posts as “disgusting messages” and made it clear that no member of the organization was involved. They confirmed they are “working to restore full control” of the account and have since regained access.
“We strongly condemn the abhorrent antisemitic and racist content,” Sesame Street wrote in an official Instagram post.
“These posts in no way reflect the values of Sesame Workshop.”
Anti-Defamation League and Public Backlash
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) condemned the attack:
The ADL condemned the hack on Monday, calling it appalling that Elmo’s official X account—usually a source of kindness—was used to spread violent antisemitism.
The posts intensified concerns over rising online hate speech, especially after X’s AI chatbot Grok drew criticism last week for generating antisemitic content.
Time and Political Repercussions
Trump supporters have used the “Epstein files” as a weapon against Attorney General Pam Bondi, despite a formal document that denied any significant cover-up. A political dispute over the files was still going on when the breach occurred.
Following many recent breaches, X (previously Twitter) has been under increasing pressure to improve moderation and safeguard accounts that are visible to the public.
Elmo’s Generous Response
After securing the account, Elmo tweeted, “Elmo loves you,” and added a heart-shaped emoji.
“I appreciate your kindness toward Elmo and everyone in your neighborhood.”
The simple message reminded fans of Elmo’s timeless values of compassion and inclusion.
Source: NBC News
