Meta has reversed its initial refusal to host advertisements for Alex Gibney’s upcoming documentary about Elon Musk, stating that the rejection was a mistake. The move follows reports from The Hollywood Reporter on Friday indicating that TikTok, Meta, YouTube, and X had all declined to run paid promo for the film’s trailer.
On Saturday, a Meta spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch, “This was an error and the ads are being restored.” The company has not yet provided further details regarding the specific nature of the glitch.
The initial rejections cited “political content” restrictions, a category in which these platforms have varied policies. While X’s refusal was predictable given Musk’s ownership of the platform and his recent criticism of Gibney, the bans from Meta, TikTok, and YouTube raised questions about how a documentary trailer qualifies as campaign advertising. Bleecker Street, the U.S. distributor for the film, told The Hollywood Reporter it is appealing the decisions.
Gibney, known for acclaimed documentaries such as “Going Clear” and “The Inventor,” returned to Venice International Film Festival earlier this month with “Musk.” The film has garnered a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is scheduled for a U.S. theatrical release on October 9.
Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri described the nearly four-hour runtime as a character study that explores Musk’s business empire, his personal life, and his alliance with President Donald Trump. The documentary features interviews with Musk’s ex-wife Justine Musk and former influencer Ashley St. Clair.
Distribution complications have also emerged outside of social media. The Hollywood Reporter noted that Universal Pictures had hesitated on international distribution commitments, reportedly due to concerns about alienating the Trump administration. Universal later clarified that it will handle theatrical releases but is still finalizing its broader strategy.
TechCrunch has contacted YouTube, TikTok, X, and Bleecker Street for additional comment.
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