Tesla Removes Disney+ from Vehicles Following Elon Musk's Controversial Statements

Inno Flores, Tech Times 19 December 2023, 11:12 pm

Shortly after his public dispute with Disney CEO Bob Iger, Elon Musk announced on X that Iger should be terminated immediately.

(Photo : David von Diemar from Unsplash)

Removing Disney+ from Tesla Vehicles

Tesla has removed Disney+ from certain vehicles, a move that follows user complaints about the streaming service mysteriously disappearing from Tesla media screens. The Tesla Theatre feature includes various other apps like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok.

In response to Disney's decision to cease advertising on X over allegations of antisemitism and Musk's promotion of an antisemitic conspiracy theory, Interesting Engineering reported that Tesla has removed Disney+ from its vehicles.

Musk expressed his frustration during the DealBook Summit, telling those attempting to manipulate him with advertising to "go f*ck yourself." In an attempt to address the public relations crisis, Musk visited Israel and expressed support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The company reportedly notified Disney+ about the removal of the app without providing a specific reason. Despite this claim, several Tesla users have reported that the Disney+ app remains accessible.

It's worth noting that Musk has previously called for the resignation of Disney CEO Bob Iger. As with many Musk-related incidents, this disagreement between Musk and Iger appears to be an ongoing matter with no resolution in sight.

Other Companies' Decisions

Other major companies, including HBO, Sony, Apple, Warner Bros, Paramount, and Marvel, also suspended advertising on X after their ads were found next to pro-Nazi content. Musk has once again stirred controversy on X, this time with direct repercussions for Tesla.

Electrek reported that the recent conflict arose from Musk endorsing an antisemitic post on the platform, leading to significant backlash and the withdrawal of advertising support from various companies, including Apple and Disney.

While Musk eventually apologized for his tweet, he simultaneously criticized advertisers for their withdrawal, singling out Disney, which he accused of being influenced by the "woke mind virus." The situation reflects Musk's ongoing confrontations on social media, with implications for Tesla's public image.

In the wake of leaving X due to concerns over antisemitic content, Walt Disney, along with several other major U.S. companies, has significantly boosted its U.S. ad spending on platforms like Instagram.

Disney escalated its advertising expenditure by up to 40% on Instagram starting from November 20. Comcast followed suit, registering a 6% surge in spending on the same application, while Paramount redirected its focus to Snapchat, resulting in a threefold increase in ad spending.

Also Read: Tesla Is Recalling Almost All Vehicles Sold in the US - Here's Why

In a seemingly unrelated move to his past dealings with Disney, Elon Musk, also known for his support of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, has reportedly influenced a decision at Tesla that directly affects the entertainment giant.

Subsequently, Tesla revised its stance, stating that the app would only be removed for Tesla owners who hadn't used it before. This move has now been implemented, with several Tesla users reporting the absence of the Disney+ app in Tesla Theatre, a feature introduced in the company's holiday update in 2021.