Elmo Speaks Out About Controversial Social Media Comments Regarding Anti-Semitism
In an unexpected turn of events, the Twitter account of Elmo, the beloved Sesame Street character, was hacked on Sunday, July 13, 2025. The account was compromised, posting antisemitic and racist messages that sparked outrage among web users.
The offensive content, which included slurs against Jews, references to controversial figures such as President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, and hateful phrases like "Kill all Jews" and the N-word, remained online until Tuesday and were later taken down.
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organisation behind Sesame Street, confirmed the hack and the swift removal of the posts. However, the delay in issuing a public apology or statement can be attributed to the time taken by Sesame Workshop to secure the account and assess the situation before addressing the public. The official statement and response were issued the following Monday, July 15, 2025.
The apology stated that the account was hacked by an outside party and the posts did not reflect the values of Sesame Workshop or Sesame Street. Elmo responded with a post saying "Elmo loves you."
This incident has brought to light broader security and safety concerns on the Twitter platform, which has faced criticism and scrutiny for content moderation and cybersecurity under Elon Musk's ownership. Prior to Musk's acquisition, Twitter was known for frequent high-level account hackings, and since then, account hijackings have remained common.
Many web users expressed anger at the lack of an immediate apology from Elmo or the Sesame Street team. Some even joked that Kanye West may have hijacked Elmo's account due to his controversial statements. Several accounts criticized Elmo and called for an apology, a real investigation, or the firing of the person responsible for the hack.
It is unclear why it took the account a while to issue a statement. However, it is essential to note that the need to ensure the account was fully recovered and to formulate an appropriate response to the serious nature of the content, given the high-profile nature of Elmo as a beloved children's character and the sensitivity of the hateful messages posted, may have contributed to the delay.
Furthermore, prior to this incident, Rachel Griffin-Accurso, a children's entertainer who has appeared alongside Elmo on Sesame Street, was labeled "Antisemite of the Week" by the advocacy group StopAntisemitism in April. Griffin-Accurso has been targeted by Jewish advocacy groups over her support for Gazan children.
Gizmodo reached out to the Sesame Workshop for more information regarding the incident and the measures taken to prevent such occurrences in the future. As of now, the Sesame Workshop has not issued a statement regarding the hacker's identity or the specific steps taken to secure the account.
- The hacked Twitter account of Elmo, a beloved Sesame Street character, posted antisemitic and racist messages, drawing criticism from users on technology platforms like Twitter.
- Gizmodo, a tech news site, reached out to Sesame Workshop for more information about the incident and future security measures, but the Workshop has yet to provide details.
- This hacking incident brings to light the broader concern about security and safety on Twitter, a platform that has faced criticism for content moderation and cybersecurity, especially under Elon Musk's ownership.
- The future of social media, entertainment, general news, crime-and-justice discussions, and the reputations of celebrities (like Kanye West) are affected by such incidents and the platforms' responses to them.
