Meta reverses course on documentary ads targeting Elon Musk

The documentary, which examines the billionaire’s career and political alliances, faced a collective blockade from TikTok, YouTube, X, and Meta. These platforms reportedly categorized the trailer as "political content," triggering restrictive advertising policies. While X’s refusal mirrors the owner’s public hostility toward Gibney—whom he recently disparaged in a social media post—the rejection by other platforms remains opaque given that the film is a biographical study rather than a campaign advertisement.

Bleecker Street, the film’s U.S. distributor, is actively appealing these rejections. The documentary, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival to critical acclaim, tracks Musk’s influence in tech and his ties to Donald Trump. Amid the marketing hurdles, the project has also faced international distribution uncertainty, with Universal Pictures reportedly recalibrating its release strategy for foreign markets. The film is currently scheduled for a wide theatrical release in the United States on October 9.