At least two major technology companies are reversing their stance on accepting advertising for director Alex Gibney’s upcoming documentary about Elon Musk, titled “Musk.”
Initial rejections and platform policies
According to a report published by The Hollywood Reporter, TikTok, Meta, YouTube, and X had all initially refused to run paid advertisements promoting the trailer for the documentary. Platforms such as Meta, TikTok, and YouTube reportedly rejected the ad citing restrictions on “political content.”
Meta implements varied policies regarding political advertisements, having stated previously that it would stop accepting political ads in the European Union, while TikTok maintains a total ban on running them. It remains unclear how a documentary trailer counts as campaign advertising, and the film’s U.S. distributor, Bleecker Street, told The Hollywood Reporter that it is appealing the rejections.
X’s rejection aligns with platform ownership; Elon Musk owns X and recently posted that “Dogshit is worth more respect than Gibney.”
Reversals from Meta and YouTube
Following the initial rejections, Meta and YouTube updated their positions on the promotional material.
A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch on Saturday regarding their platform, “This was an error and the ads are being restored.”
YouTube posted an update on Saturday noting that while the trailer had been available on the platform, submitting it as an ad caused a temporary restriction by their system. The company added, “Following review the ad has been cleared to run.”
About the documentary
Gibney’s nearly four-hour documentary premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and has received positive reviews, holding a 100% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its U.S. theatrical release on October 9. The film explores Musk’s tech career, his personal life, and his alliance with President Donald Trump, featuring interviews with subjects including ex-wife Justine Musk and former influencer Ashley St. Clair.
