Calls for product boycotts and other anti-corporate campaigns on social media have been loud enough that companies were forced to respond, especially as the platforms have a way of amplifying customer frustration. That was certainly the case last year with Bud Light, which even now has failed to regain its market share.
As the #TeslaTakeDown continues to gain traction – targeting Tesla CEO Elon Musk and causing the company to see a 15% drop in the company’s stock last week – President Donald Trump and his allies have responded by suggesting that protesters at the company’s showrooms could be described as domestic terrorism. Still, this movement shows no signs of losing momentum, with users on social media describing the Cybertruck and other Tesla vehicles as “Swasticars,” referring to Musk’s “Nazi-like salute” at Trump’s inauguration rally.
A viral image that re-imagined a World War II propaganda poster that warned, “When you ride ALONE you ride with Hitler” to feature Musk next to the ghostly outline of the German dictator with the caption “When you ride TESLA you ride with Hitler.”
DOGE Reaction
Musk is no stranger to controversy, but this reaction to his efforts to significantly downsize the federal government as the head of the “Department of Government Efficiency” has been met with backlash that likely won’t go away soon. Every action he makes is met with an equal reaction online, often with the hashtag.
“Elon Musk has become a brand unto himself – one as polarizing as it is powerful. While Tesla was once synonymous with innovation, today its brand narrative is increasingly shaped by Musk’s personal actions and statements,” explained Angeli Gianchandani, adjunct instructor of marketing and public relations at New York University. “The recent wave of anti-Tesla sentiment highlights the risks of intertwining corporate identity too closely with an individual, especially one who thrives on disruption.”
Those critical of Musk have been taking to social media to speak out against him and the Tesla brand, oftentimes on the very platform he owns!
“Some users have gone as far as selling or trading in Tesla vehicles they owned and posting on social media about their decision to sell based on Musk’s behavior,” said Dr. Julianna Kirschner, lecturer at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.
Will Musk Shut Down the Take-Down Calls?
The anti-Tesla sentiment has gained traction, yet it could be silenced on X if Musk – by going against his free speech absolutist views – decided he’s had enough. However, it seems too that Musk has a powerful ally in the federal government as well.
“There is going to be a lot of pressure put on social media by the administration to cover this up so it doesn’t spread,” suggested technology industry analyst Rob Enderle of the Enderle Group.
“Elon Musk may not outright ban criticism on X, but he could limit its reach through the platform’s algorithm, as he has done before to control narratives,” added Gianchandani.
Yet, silencing dissent at scale could backfire, drawing even more attention and reinforcing the idea that Tesla and Musk for that matter can’t handle criticism, she added.
That may not help in the short term, and certainly wouldn’t be good for the brand.
“Today, consumers care about more than just the product; they factor in corporate values, leadership behavior, and cultural alignment,” Gianchandani continued. “That means handling controversy well is just as important as innovation. His influence has helped build Tesla into a dominant force, but it’s now a double-edged sword as some consumers distance themselves from the brand due to his polarizing behavior. This moment underscores the growing reality that a CEO’s persona can be as impactful on sales as the product itself.”
Silencing The Opposition
Even if Musk does attempt to shut messaging down on X – and the possibility that he already has is reasonably high – it will be impossible to silence it entirely.
“The density of content on X, it would be challenging to shut everything down that disparages Tesla,” said Kirschner.
Part of the problem is that Musk’s attempts to streamline the social media platform may have limited its ability to react now.
“Without the staff in place to handle moderation efforts of this magnitude, many critical messages have and will continue to slip by,” added Kirschner. “The reason for this is not rooted in Musk’s supposed free speech stance but in the reality of how X functions today. Even with current AI technology that could be used to flag posts, content critical of Tesla will remain at least long enough for some users to see them.”
Yet, this reality is unlikely to deter Musk.
“In the past, content that was critical of him had a higher chance of being removed than many other kinds of posts. Yet, Musk continues to say that he is a proponent of free speech, but he fails to mention the limits of his position,” Kirschner noted.
Will Other Platforms Allow Anti-Musk Sentiment To Foster?
There may have been a time when those in charge of rival platforms would have delighted to see Musk come under fire. But that’s uncertain to be the case now. First, the tech world has realigned itself with the White House or at least are paying it lip service – but on the flip side, such discussions are certainly going to keep users engaged, and that may matter more than anything else.
As a result, the other major social media platforms such as Meta, TikTok, and Reddit are unlikely to suppress anti-Tesla sentiment unless it violates their policies.
“Unlike X, which Musk controls, these platforms aim to appear neutral. However, financial and advertiser pressure could influence how much visibility negative content gets,” said Gianchandani. “That said, silencing protests often backfires, fueling more backlash and eroding consumer trust. If Tesla were seen as influencing social media censorship, it could deepen the very criticism it’s trying to avoid. In today’s digital world, managing controversy openly is often better than trying to control the narrative.”
In addition, Meta is already dealing with their own issues after removing fact-checking measures, with users posting false information about Mark Zuckerberg to test the boundaries.
“Some of that content remains on Meta platforms, but it is unclear how much of these posts have been removed or moderated in some way,” said Kirschner.
This simply may not be the hill to die on for most of the platforms.
“Obviously, Musk can shut it off on X, but Facebook is under investigation so that could be used as a threat to influence their behavior,” added Enderle. “I doubt it will work though, because people will just shift to platforms that aren’t being manipulated and they are likely to get even angrier if they see someone manipulating these services. The right way to stop this is that either Musk gets out of politics, or he steps away from Tesla. I don’t see another path that will save Tesla at the moment.”
