A video shared on Instagram allegedly shows Twitter CEO Elon Musk claiming he unblocked Andrew Tate, a controversial influencer, from Twitter.

 

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Verdict: False

The footage of Musk speaking has been digitally fabricated. Original footage shows Musk speaking at a TED Talk months prior.

Fact Check: 

Tate was detained in Romania on Dec. 29 on human trafficking and rape charges and given a 30-day ruling, NPR reported. The controversial social media influencer also lost an appeal against the decision to keep him in jail for an additional 30 days, claiming he is “being held in custody to make me mentally ill,” according to Daily Mail.

An Instagram video appears to show Elon Musk saying he unbanned Tate from Twitter because of the “Matrix.” The post features a split screen with the alleged video of Musk on the left and a man nodding in approval on the right.

“People ask me why I unblocked Andrew Tate from Twitter,” Musk appears to say. “It’s the same reason why I bought Twitter. We need to escape the suppression from the matrix and expose the global elites.”

This video is digitally fabricated, however. The footage of Musk speaking matches a TED Talk of his that can be watched on YouTube. A search through this video’s transcript reveals that he did not mention Tate or “global elites” anywhere in the talk.

Check Your Fact found no credible news reports showing the alleged video of Musk speaking about Tate. (RELATED: Did CBC Report That Elon Musk Has Endorsed Quantum AI?)

Tate has mentioned the Matrix many times before, telling his followers to “break free,” usually with his products. This is most likely referring to the 1999 film “The Matrix,” in which humans are uploaded to a computer program they believe is real life. Tate also believes the Matrix may have been involved in his detainment.

The Matrix may have imprisoned me,

But I am free inside The Real World.https://t.co/hopcAAMksL pic.twitter.com/uxckupgr24

— Andrew Tate (@Cobratate) January 17, 2023

This is not the first time misinformation about a prominent figure has spread online. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim Karine Jean-Pierre sent a TikTok video to reporters.