Elon Musk has never been shy about his feelings toward social media platforms from Meta Platforms (META). Over the years, he's shared a pretty clear distaste for them. But here's the twist: Meta-owned Instagram and rival TikTok—now owned by a group of American companies—might be luring Musk back. Why? Possibly to hype up the upcoming SpaceX IPO, a move that would see him using platforms outside his own X, which is owned by xAI/SpaceX.
For a long time, Musk has openly hated on apps like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, all under the Meta umbrella. He recently even took shots at WhatsApp over alleged privacy issues. In past interviews, he admitted to deleting official accounts for Tesla Inc (TSLA) and SpaceX on Facebook, along with his personal Instagram account. So, it's a bit ironic that Tesla has recently started advertising on Facebook—a definite shift from Musk's earlier stance.
Now, according to a New York Times report, a verified account under "@elonmusk" has popped up on Instagram. It hasn't posted anything yet, but it features the same profile picture Musk uses on X, where he boasts 237.9 million followers. This Instagram account has 18,000 followers, is set to private, and lists Musk's X account link in the bio. The Times suggests it likely belongs to Musk, though MarketDash reached out to him and Tesla for comment and hasn't heard back.
Musk's past quotes tell the story. "Just don't like Facebook. Gives me the willies," he once said. Back in 2022, before he officially bought Twitter (now X), he admitted to having a secret Instagram account just for clicking links. In that same interview, he explained he only needed one mode of communication—Twitter. He also owned up to having a public Instagram account before, but it led him down a selfie spiral. "Instagram, man—it's a thirst trap, you know," Musk remarked, questioning why he was so caught up taking selfies and chasing likes. "Whatever message I'm trying to get across I can put on Twitter." By 2023, he doubled down, claiming Instagram makes users "depressed."
But wait, there's more. An "@elonmusk" account has also appeared on TikTok, and it recently made its first post—a montage of Tesla and SpaceX highlights that's already racked up 2.3 million views. With 114.7 thousand followers and only one video, it's clearly grabbing attention.
So, what's going on? In recent years, Musk and Tesla have been ramping up their social media game, advertising for big events like the vote on Musk's pay package and Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) tech, which is crucial for Tesla's growth and Musk's compensation. The New York Times hints that these new Instagram and TikTok accounts might be part of a strategy for the upcoming SpaceX IPO. Sure, the IPO is already hotly anticipated and getting plenty of positive buzz, but having Musk active on multiple platforms could draw in new users and spotlight the space and AI company's financials and future plans.
Think about it: Tesla investors already know about SpaceX and xAI, and X users who follow Musk are in the loop. That leaves potential investors who are hanging out on other social media apps. While Musk would love to have his existing fan base invest in xAI/SpaceX, hitting that rumored $2 trillion valuation might require pulling in fresh fans and backers. So, maybe those "thirst traps" aren't so bad after all—if they help fund a rocket company.
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