Meta says it will run ads for ‘Musk’ documentary after all

At slightest 1 societal media institution appears to beryllium reversing its stance connected whether it volition judge advertizing for manager Alex Gibney’s upcoming documentary astir Elon Musk.

The Hollywood Reporter published a communicative Friday saying that TikTok, Meta, YouTube, and X had each refused to tally paid ads promoting the trailer for “Musk.” However, erstwhile TechCrunch reached retired to Meta connected Saturday, a spokesperson said, “This was an mistake and the ads are being restored.”

We’ve asked Meta for much details and volition update this nonfiction if we perceive back.

X’s rejection is unsurprising — Musk, who owns the societal media platform, precocious posted that “Dogshit is worthy much respect than Gibney.” 

But Meta, TikTok, and YouTube reportedly rejected the advertisement for “political content,” which the platforms person assorted restrictions on. (Meta said past twelvemonth that it volition stop accepting governmental ads successful the European Union, portion TikTok says it doesn’t tally them astatine all.) It’s not wide however a documentary trailer counts arsenic run advertising, and the film’s U.S. distributor Bleecker Street told the Hollywood Reporter that it’s appealing the rejections.

Gibney antecedently directed acclaimed documentaries including “Going Clear” (about the Church of Scientology) and “The Inventor” (about Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos), arsenic good arsenic a movie astir Steve Jobs. “Musk,” his latest, premiered astatine the Venice International Film Festival earlier this period and has received almost universally affirmative reviews. The movie presently has a 100% “fresh” standing connected Rotten Tomatoes and is acceptable for theatrical merchandise successful the United States connected October 9.

Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri described the astir four-hour movie arsenic a revealing look astatine Musk’s tech career, his confederation with President Donald Trump, and his idiosyncratic life, with interrogation subjects including ex-wife Justine Musk and erstwhile right-wing influencer Ashley St. Clair (who precocious had a kid with Musk but present describes him arsenic “a nuke”).

Ebiri wrote that portion the movie is simply a “fascinating” quality study, adding, “As a communicative of modern business, it’s revealing. And arsenic a informing astir our future, it’s terrifying.”

Despite the archetypal question of captious acclaim, The Hollywood Reporter besides said that Universal Pictures was wavering successful its committedness to administer the movie internationally, reportedly owed to the studio’s fearfulness of angering the Trump administration. (Universal subsequently said it volition merchandise the documentary successful theaters but is inactive figuring retired its merchandise strategy).

TechCrunch has besides reached retired to YouTube, TikTok, X, and Bleecker Street for comment.