The beloved children’s character Elmo fell victim to hackers who posted antisemitic and hateful messages on his official X account on July 15.
The offensive content was removed the following day after widespread outrage.
The breach highlights growing security vulnerabilities on the platform formerly known as Twitter, raising fresh concerns about content moderation under Elon Musk’s ownership.
Sesame Workshop, the organization behind the red furry monster, quickly condemned the incident. The company confirmed that an unknown hacker posted “abhorrent antisemitic and racist” messages on Elmo’s X account and clarified that the posts did not reflect its views.
On Sunday, Elmo’s X account was briefly hacked by an outside party, in spite of the security measures in place.
We strongly condemn the abhorrent antisemitic and racist content, and the account has since been secured.
These posts in no way reflect the values of Sesame Workshop… pic.twitter.com/MaTqsjQ81V
— Elmo (@elmo) July 15, 2025
After regaining control, Elmo’s account posted a characteristically gentle response.
Thank you for being kind to Elmo and all the people in your neighborhood. Elmo loves you.❤️
— Elmo (@elmo) July 15, 2025
The security breach represents more than just a hack of a celebrity account. It exemplifies ongoing safety concerns on X nearly three years into Musk’s ownership, with security experts citing weak safeguards that leave even high-profile accounts vulnerable.
The incident adds to mounting criticism of X’s content moderation policies since Musk’s acquisition. The platform has faced scrutiny for enabling hate speech, with recent problems involving both high-profile account breaches and Musk’s own Grok chatbot posting offensive material.
For parents and children who follow Elmo’s typically upbeat social media presence, the hack served as a jarring reminder of online safety risks. The character’s account, which regularly shares educational content and positive messages, became an unlikely battleground in debates over platform security.