Hackers blamed for antisemitic posts on Elmo's X account

July 14, 2025

Sesame Workshop reported that Elmo's verified X account, which has approximately 650,000 followers, was compromised by hackers who posted antisemitic messages, derogatory comments about former President Trump, and references to Jeffrey Epstein. The incident occurred on Sunday, with multiple offensive posts appearing in quick succession before being removed. Sesame Workshop stated they are working to regain full control of the popular children's character's account, which had previously gone viral in 2024 for a widely-shared post asking "How is everybody doing?

Who is affected

Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization that produces Sesame Street
Elmo's social media audience of approximately 650,000 followers
Jewish people targeted by the antisemitic content
Children and families who follow Elmo's account
Former President Trump, who was mentioned in derogatory posts

What action is being taken

Sesame Workshop is working to restore full control of Elmo's X account
The antisemitic posts have been removed from the account
No additional posts have been shared on the account since the offensive content was removed

Why it matters

The hack exposed Elmo's large audience of 650,000 followers to hateful, antisemitic content
The incident comes amid broader concerns about antisemitic content on X, following criticism of the platform and the recent departure of CEO Linda Yaccarino
The attack targeted a beloved children's character known for teaching kindness since the 1980s
According to the UK's Action Fraud, there has been a rise in social media account hacking, with over 35,000 reports last year

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC