Elmo’s X Account Hacked with Racist Posts, Sesame Workshop Working to Regain Access

Sesame Workshop is working to reclaim full control of Elmo’s account on X (formerly Twitter) after it was hijacked over the weekend by a hacker who posted offensive and hateful content.

According to a spokesperson from Sesame Workshop—the nonprofit behind Sesame Street—an unknown individual gained unauthorized access to Elmo’s account and posted a series of disturbing messages, including racist and antisemitic remarks. “We are working to restore full control of the account,” the spokesperson confirmed on Monday.

Normally known for uplifting and encouraging posts, Elmo’s account, which has over 650,000 followers, shocked fans when it suddenly began sharing threats and vulgar references, including one connected to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Although the offensive tweets were removed shortly after, the account still displayed a link to a Telegram channel allegedly belonging to the hacker.

As of now, platform X has not issued any comment on the breach.

Elmo’s online presence has become a hub for spreading messages of mental health awareness. In early 2024, Elmo drew massive attention with a simple post asking, “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The message went viral, even prompting responses from public figures like President Joe Biden and Chance the Rapper.