Sesame Workshop Speaks Out Against Antisemitic Posts on Hacked Elmo X Account

The beloved children's television show Sesame Street has faced a disturbing incident involving the hacking of its official Elmo account on X. The X account, which boasts over 650,000 followers, was compromised by an "unknown hacker" who posted six antisemitic and racist messages to the account.

The posts, described as "disgusting messages" by a spokesperson for Sesame Workshop, called for violence against Jews and made unsubstantiated claims about President Donald Trump's alleged connections to Jeffrey Epstein. The Elmo account, which in the past has been known for its family-friendly and upbeat messaging, took a dark turn when it claimed Trump was a "puppet" of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Screenshots of the posts have continued to circulate across social media, sparking outrage from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which described the hack as "appalling." The ADL stated that such incidents not only contribute to an increasingly hostile environment for Jewish people online but also normalize anti-Jewish hate.

A spokesperson for Sesame Workshop said Sunday that they were working to restore full control of the account. However, the Elmo character's other social media accounts remain unaffected by the hacking incident.

This latest incident comes as X faces growing criticism over its AI chatbot, Grok, which recently wrote antisemitic posts, including one that praised Adolf Hitler. The company apologized for these incidents and acknowledged "horrific behavior" exhibited by its AI system.

Furthermore, the hacking of Elmo's account raises questions about social media companies' responsibility to prevent hate speech and maintain a safe online environment. As the debate surrounding X continues, it is essential to recognize the impact that such incidents can have on vulnerable communities.

The incident also highlights the ongoing fallout over the "Epstein files," which have sparked controversy among Trump's supporters who claim there is no credible evidence linking prominent figures to Epstein's alleged schemes. However, experts and law enforcement officials have repeatedly stated that this is not the case.

In a statement, X did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the hacking of Elmo's account has sent a disturbing message about the dangers of online hate speech and the need for social media companies to take responsibility for preventing such incidents.