Overview
- Elon Musk amplified posts by far‑right figures and on June 9 wrote “Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!!,” a series of shares that journalists say reached large audiences on X.
- On June 12 ZDFheute live opened a segment by saying a “racist mob went on a hunt for migrants” and that the call had “come from” Elon Musk, language the broadcaster later described as imprecise.
- ZDF confirmed it complied with a cease‑and‑desist sent through Musk’s German law firm, removed the disputed introduction and added a transparency notice stating the wording was taken down for legal reasons.
- Musk’s lawyer Joachim Steinhöfel called the removal a vindication and critics pointed out that a 28‑second clip of the introduction was quickly shared on X by right‑wing accounts, widening the story’s reach.
- Legal experts say proving financial harm in Germany is difficult and coverage highlights broader questions about how newsrooms should report links between platform amplification and real‑world violence and whether further cross‑border legal actions will follow.