Meta to Run Ads for 'Musk' Documentary After Initial Rejection
Meta has reversed its decision to block ads for Alex Gibney's Elon Musk documentary, stating the initial rejection was an error.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, will now permit advertisements for director Alex Gibney’s upcoming documentary about Elon Musk. The decision follows an initial refusal by the social media giant.
On Saturday, a Meta spokesperson stated that the previous rejection of ads for the film “Musk” was an error and that the advertisements are being reinstated. This correction comes after The Hollywood Reporter published a story detailing that Meta, along with TikTok, YouTube, and X, had initially refused to run paid ads promoting the documentary's trailer.
The rejection by X, owned by Elon Musk himself, was not unexpected given Musk’s public criticism of Gibney. Meta, TikTok, and YouTube reportedly cited "political content" as the reason for their initial denials, a category subject to various platform restrictions. Meta ceased accepting political ads in the European Union last year, while TikTok generally does not run them.
The documentary, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, has garnered widespread critical acclaim, with reviewers praising Gibney's work. The film currently holds a 100% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is scheduled for theatrical release in the United States on October 9. The film's U.S. distributor, Bleecker Street, has indicated it is appealing the ad rejections.