Elon Musk has not called for a boycott of the ABC. (Morgan Sette, Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS) Image by Morgan Sette, Joel Carrett/ AAP PHOTOS
Elon Musk is calling for a boycott of Australian broadcaster ABC, an article shared on social media claims.
This is false. The article was first published by a satirical website and labelled as ‘satire’.
The claim appears in Facebook posts featuring links and images of the American billionaire laughing alongside office buildings displaying ABC logos.
“Elon Musk Calls for Boycott of ABC Network: ‘Let’s Take ‘Em Down!’…” one post caption said.
Another post said: “ABC Loses Almost 1 Million Subscribers Overnight After Elon Musk’s Boycott Call”.
Social media posts have shared images from a fake news article labelled as satire.
The posts link to articles about US broadcaster ABC, but a reverse image search revealed the buildings in the photos were the Australian national broadcaster’s Sydney and Melbourne offices.
The linked articles refer to a purported stoush between Mr Musk and the US ABC after the broadcaster hosted a presidential debate.
AAP FactCheck found the earliest instance of the claim was a Facebook post by a satirical page called SpaceX Fanclub, which included a ‘satire’ label.
That post linked to the earliest version of the Musk article published by a satirical website called Esspots.
AAP has previously reported that Pakistan-based Muhammad Shabayer Shaukat runs the Esspots website and the SpaceX FanClub Facebook page.
He told AAP FactCheck that his articles and posts were created using artificial intelligence, including ChatGPT, to boost clicks and generate advertising revenue.
Images on the original post were overlaid with a “satire” disclaimer.
Mr Shabayer Shaukat said he wasn’t responsible for users who shared his content without ‘satire’ labels.
AAP FactCheck could not find evidence of Musk calling for a boycott of the US or Australian ABCs.
The billionaire has called the Australian government “Facists” in an X post in response to a user reporting that it planned to fine social media platforms that failed to prevent the spread of misinformation.
AAP FactCheck has previously debunked posts referencing Mr Shabayer Shaukat’s content without a satire label.
News
(X) See All of the Ridiculously Revealing Outfits Miley Cyrus Wore at the VMAs
She’s just being Miley! Miley Cyrus made quite an impression when she stepped out on the red carpet at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards in next to nothing. The 22-year-old star, who is set to host the show, showed off almost everything in a…
Fact Check: Would Elon Musk say he might buy ‘The View’ just so he could cancel it
Did Elon Musk say he might buy the TV talk show “The View” just so he could cancel it — as claimed in a meme on social media? No, that’s not true: The text caption and composite image showing show…
Fact Check: Did Elon Musk say ‘I’d rather drink sewage than watch Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl’
Did entrepreneur and Tesla CEO Elon Musk say, “I’d rather drink sewer water than see Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl,” as a post on Facebook claimed? No, that’s not true: This claim originally appeared in an article on a…
Extremely hot rumor appears: McDonald’s Stocks Skyrocket 200%: “Making McDonald’s Great Again” Is this true?
Report McDonald’s Stock ‘Skyrocketed’ After Trump Visited PA Location Originated as ‘Satire’ “I think we’ve finally found our new marketing strategy,” a McDonald’s spokesperson allegedly said. Image courtesy of SpaceX Fanclub Facebook page McDonald’s stock went up 200% following a…
LeBron James’ Lavish Gift to His Mother: Inside the $40 Million Mansion and Mercedes-AMG G 63 for Her 50th Birthday
LeBron James, one of the most celebrated figures in sports, has often made headlines not only for his prowess on the basketball court but also for his acts of generosity. His recent gesture for his mother, Gloria James, has caught…
Savannah James Voices Pride as LeBron and Bronny Take the Court Together: This Is Truly Special
Savannah James recently expressed her heartfelt pride as she watched her husband, LeBron James, and their son, Bronny James, share the court for the first time. This moment was not just significant for the James family but also a historic…
End of content
No more pages to load