Fact Check: Elon Musk Hasn't Blocked Disney's Pride Content On X. Here's The Actual Context
A claim regarding Elon Musk blocking Disney's Pride content on X is going viral on X. It stems from satire but has been shared on social media without proper context.
The Verdict: False
The viral claim that Elon Musk blocked Disney's Pride content on X stems from satire but has been shared on social media without proper context.
What is the claim?
Multiple social media users are circulating a photo of Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk, showing hands forming a heart over a Pride flag, with the claim that he has blocked Disney's Pride content on the platform.
A Threads user shared this claim, writing, "I’m all for free speech—unless it’s something I don’t like. Then it’s offensive, unreasonable, and absolutely needs to be shut down." An archived version can be seen here.
Another Facebook user posted the image with the caption, "WOKE' isn't for kids, according to Elon Musk, who blocks Disney's Pride content on X." At the time of writing, this post had over 69,000 likes and more than 1,800 shares. Archived versions of these posts can be found here, here, and here.
We also found the claim circulating on Bluesky (archived here), where one user wrote, "Elon Musk blocks Disney Pride content on X and says 'WOKE' is not for KIDS. 🚫🏳️🌈 #WhatDoYouThink? #elonmusk (translated from Spanish)."
However, our research revealed that the claim originates from satirical websites; no credible sources confirm its authenticity.
What are the facts?
In 2023, Disney announced (archived here) plans to host a Pride event in June. Similarly, in June 2021, the company promoted a virtual concert for Pride Month (archived here).
Disney identifies as a steadfast supporter of LGBTQIA+ communities, families, and fans, offering charitable grants and program assistance to organizations serving the LGBTQIA+ community.
A review of Disney's official social media accounts (archived here and here) and website revealed no recent statements about a ban or restriction on their Pride content on X. Additionally, no credible news reports support claims that Elon Musk has blocked Disney’s Pride content on the platform.
Where did the claim originate from?
The claim originated from satirical websites such as Esspots and Zapon.
A Zapon article, published on November 12, carried the headline "Elon Musk Blocks Disney’s Pride Content on X, Says ‘Woke’ Isn’t for Kids." The piece falsely claimed that Musk had implemented a policy to restrict Disney’s Pride-related content on X, stating that "woke" messaging, particularly content involving discussions of gender identity and LGBTQ+ themes, should not be presented to children. However, the article included a note at the end clarifying, "This Is SATIRE, It’s Not TRUE." The cover photo of the article also indicated it was "rated satire."
Esspots published a similar article, falsely claiming that Musk had posted on X about the ban, reportedly writing, "It’s not good for kids." The article further asserted that content promoting Pride Month, LGBTQ+ rights, or inclusive messaging would be flagged as "age-sensitive" and that hashtags like #Pride and ads featuring rainbow imagery or LGBTQ+ messaging would be restricted or de-emphasized. Like Zapon, Esspots included a disclaimer explicitly stating, "NOTE: This is SATIRE, It’s Not True."
The "About Us" sections of both Zapon and Esspots confirm that these platforms publish satirical content. This makes it clear that reports of Musk restricting Disney’s Pride-related content on X are not factual but stem from satirical commentary.
Musk's comments on Disney
We found no statements from Musk (archived here) regarding a ban on Pride-related content from Disney on X.
However, Musk has made several posts referencing Disney. In December 2023, while responding to a post, Musk wrote (archived here), “Disney has a major content problem. Almost their entire upcoming slate is unwatchable. They are the world’s biggest example of go woke, go broke lol.”
In another post (archived here), Musk shared a photo titled “Disney General Entertainment Content INCLUSION STANDARDS,” captioning it, “An anonymous source just sent me this from Disney. It is mandatory, institutionalized racism and sexism!”
Additionally, in July 2024, Musk replied to an X user, stating (archived here), “The discovery on this case will be devastating for the woke mind virus that controls Disney.”
The Verdict
The claim that Elon Musk blocked Disney's Pride content on X is false. It originates from satirical websites, and no credible news sources support the claim.
This report first appeared on logicallyfacts.com, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.