The official X (previously Twitter) account of beloved Sesame Avenue character Elmo was hacked over the weekend and used to publish a sequence of disturbing messages, together with racist and antisemitic threats, in addition to profane references to convicted intercourse trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organisation behind Sesame Avenue, confirmed the account had been compromised and said on Monday that it was working to regain full management.
“Elmo’s X account was compromised by an unknown hacker who posted disgusting messages, together with antisemitic and racist posts. We’re working to revive full management of the account,” a spokesperson stated.
Extra About Elmo
Elmo’s account, adopted by greater than 650,000 customers, sometimes shares uplifting content material, usually associated to psychological well being and wellbeing.
Final 12 months, a easy submit from the character asking, “Elmo is simply checking in! How is all people doing?” went viral, garnering responses from figures reminiscent of US President Joe Biden and Probability the Rapper.
In stark distinction, the hacked messages included not solely hate speech but in addition a requirement for the US authorities to launch extra details about Epstein, referencing long-standing conspiracy theories surrounding his demise in custody.
Though the offensive posts have been deleted shortly after being posted, the account nonetheless hyperlinks to a Telegram channel related to the hacker who has claimed duty.
As of Monday, X — the platform owned by Elon Musk — had not issued any public remark concerning the incident.
