Hackers gained access to the X account of the puppet Elmo over the weekend and used it to post racist and antisemitic threats as well as make profane references to Jeffrey Epstein. Sesame Workshop was still trying to regain full control on Monday over the red character’s account.
“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,” a Sesame Workshop spokesperson said on Monday. Sesame Workshop is the non-profit behind Sesame Street and Elmo.
The account was compromised over the weekend and instead of the usual posts of encouragement and kindness, Elmo’s 650,000 followers were given antisemitic threats and racist messages. The account also made a profane reference to the convicted sex trafficker Epstein and demanded the US government release more information on him, adding to the controversy over the FBI’s confirmation that Epstein killed himself. Those tweets were soon deleted, though Elmo’s account retains a link to a Telegram channel from a user who takes credit for the hack.
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X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Elmo’s social media account has lately become a place for mental health awareness. Last year, the red fuzzy monster, eternally aged three and a half , caused a sensation when he asked: “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” It prompted responses from Joe Biden and Chance the Rapper.
X has long struggled with protecting high-profile accounts that can cause major damage with a single tweet. Last year, multiple British MPs and international organizations saw their accounts breached and used to hawk cryptocurrency.
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