Elon Musk criticised for highlighting 'concerning' and 'reckless' misinformation about Netflix's Adolescence
Elon Musk has been told to 'wake up' after he commented on inaccurate tweets about hit series Adolescence.
The Netflix show co-created by and starring Stephen Graham has sparked a number of conversations around the ‘manosphere’ as well as simply blowing viewers away with the amazing acting, impressive camera trickery and harrowing storyline.
But while it may have encouraged these important conversations, there has also been criticism for the likes of Elon Musk in its wake.
That’s because he’s been accused of highlighting ‘concerning’ and ‘reckless’ misinformation about the show.
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In case you’re one of the few who hasn’t binged Adolescence yet, the four-parter follows 13-year-old Jamie who is accused of murdering a female classmate. Throughout the episodes, we get an insight into his motives for killing the young girl as well as the impact on his family.
His shocked parents (Graham and Christine Tremarco) are left heartbroken by the realisation their son seems to have been radicalised as the show shines a spotlight on incel culture involving young lads.
This has served as a bit of a warning for parents in real life over how little they may know about the ideologies and content their own kids may be exposed to on social media.
But Musk has now been criticised for allowing false information around Adolescence’s story to be spread on X - even appearing to endorse tweets spreading inaccurate information on his personal account.
One user, with over one million followers, shared a photo from the first episode as they wrote: “Netflix has a show called Adolescence that’s about a British knife killer who stabbed a girl to death on a bus and it’s based on real life cases such as the Southport murderer.
“So guess what. They race swapped the actual killer from a black man/migrant to a white boy and the story has it so he was radicalised online by the red pill movement.
“Just the absolute state of anti-white propaganda.”
Musk then replied to it, with his mega 220 million following, with: “Wow.”
They’ve both been called out for this misinformation as many viewers will know the show is not about a ‘knife killer who stabbed a girl to death on a bus’.
Plus, another pointed out: “Adolescence is not based on the Southport attack or a single case. It was already in production and being filmed before Southport happened.”
Musk also tagged Netflix when commenting on another post which called the series 'pure anti-White propaganda' and claimed Jamie was based on Axel Rudakubana.
Rudakubana’s horrific attack on young girls in Southport occurred on 29 July last year, while the show was filmed between March and September.
Other users said it was ‘shameful to even make the link and use it to make the ridiculous point raised’ and 'concerning' to see misinformation spread as another said: “The show creators have made it clear that Adolescence is not based on a single case. This tweet is a lie.”
Others called Musk out specifically, with one writing: "You’re a f**king idiot Elon. It’s not based on black or white knife crime."
Another said: "The script was complete before the [Southport] murder in this image happened. Basic s**t man, wake up."
Graham and co-creator Jack Thorne have openly spoke about the inspiration for Adolescence and it not being based on one single case.
“There was an incident where a young boy [allegedly] stabbed a girl,” Graham told Netflix’s Tudum. “It shocked me. I was thinking, ‘What’s going on? What’s happening in society where a boy stabs a girl to death? What’s the inciting incident here?’
"And then it happened again, and it happened again, and it happened again. I really just wanted to shine a light on it, and ask, ‘Why is this happening today? What’s going on? How have we come to this?’”
Adolescence is available to watch on Netflix now.
Topics: Adolescence, Netflix, Elon Musk, Social Media
Jess Battison