Recently, rumors have been spreading in social media regarding claiming that Tesla Founder, Elon Musk has acquired Ford Motors. The rumors began to spread on Thursday, November 7 and is still circulating all around the globe. And this news has actually caused an uproar on the Internet, particularly Social Medias.
Backstory
The fake news began to circulate when a user on Facebook, Monir Chowdhury posted the news and it gained traction pretty quick. He wrote, “Elon surprises the world with Ford Acquisition” followed by a summary of the so called never happened acquisition. He had posted a heavily photoshopped picture of both, Elon Musk shaking hands with Ford CEO Jim Farley.
Once he posted this and gained some reach, other outlets soon followed this made up story, resharing it without fact-checking. As a result, the news spread quickly like fire, making it trips all around the world.
The main reason that many believed this post seems to be the blue check (meta verified) of the user, Monir Chowdhury. This tick gives the audience a sense of authenticity, signaling that the content or profile is verified and credible.
What many people fail to understand is that this tick can actually be purchased, making it less about credibility and more about visibility.
While the rumours are still spreading all around the social media, both the parties, Elon Musk (Tesla Founder) and Jim Farly (Ford CEO) have responded to the news.
Fact Check
While Musk is known for his ventures like Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), he has no connection to Ford ownership.
Ford’s spokesperson Mark Truby shut down the rumor, stating, “No, that’s not true.”
“We don’t have much to say here other than the story’s totally false.”
This speculation seems to stem from a real Tesla-Ford partnership announced in May 2023, where Ford electric vehicles gain access to Tesla’s 12,000+ superchargers across North America starting Spring 2024. This charging agreement sparked some online chatter, but it’s a collaboration, not an acquisition.
No reliable news sources have confirmed or even suggested Musk’s interest in buying Ford.
Another reason for this might be a YouTube video suggesting a hypothetical merger.
Rumors recently flooded social media claiming that Elon Musk had purchased Ford, fueled by a YouTube video suggesting a hypothetical merger. This video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ud4zDObfkw), part of a “what if” series, speculated on what might happen if Musk acquired Ford – but it’s pure fiction.
This false claim, however, has gained traction on social media, with numerous videos posted since September 2024, amassing hundreds of thousands of views. The most popular has over 600,000 views, despite stating it “contains information not to be considered the truth.”
In Short, Elon Musk hasn’t bought Ford, and there’s no sign he plans to. The partnership is simply about expanding EV infrastructure, not merging the companies.
Ford, $F was not acquired by Elon Musk Ford like some online posts claim.@Ford remains America’s older automotive company. $TSLA
Ownership of a public company is easy verified; yet social media platforms do little to limit such propaganda from going viral. #disinformation ✅ https://t.co/MlBfl8Y8CL pic.twitter.com/GPlpeACTGl
— Brian_Henderson (@brian_henderson) November 10, 2024
