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| - SUMMARY
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
Claim: Tech billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk bought United States-based automobile manufacturer Ford in an $80 billion deal.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: As of writing, the YouTube video bearing the claim has over 5,300 views.
The video’s title reads “Elon Musk JUST Bought Ford & Ends All Competition.” Its thumbnail shows a photo of Musk and Ford CEO Jim Farley shaking hands with large superimposed text that says, “$80B DEAL.”
The facts: Musk did not buy Ford. The tech billionaire has not made any announcements about the supposed acquisition on his social media platforms, particularly on his X (formerly Twitter) official account, where he regularly posts. Musk is also the owner of X, which he acquired in 2022.
Like Musk, Farley has not made any announcement on his official X account. There are also no official press releases from Musk and Farley’s companies, Tesla and Ford, about the alleged deal.
A Ford representative told The Houston Chronicle that the rumor is false. Other publications, such as Quartz, VERIFY, Local Memphis, My San Antonio, and Fact Crescendo Sri Lanka have published articles debunking the claim.
Using advanced Google search, Rappler also found similar claims of Musk’s supposed acquisition of Ford as early as May 2023, with some YouTube channels using the same thumbnail of Musk and Ford shaking hands.
This was the same month that Ford announced that it would partner with Tesla on charging initiatives for its current and future electric vehicles, granting Ford users access to more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across the US and Canada.
Buzz after Trump wins: Multiple YouTube channels spread the false claim after Donald Trump won the 2024 US presidential elections. Musk has publicly endorsed Trump since July 2024.
The non-profit group Center for Countering Digital Hate said in a report that Musk and X are epicenters of US election misinformation. Wrong claims by Musk on the elections have garnered two billion views, according to the report. – Lorenz Pasion/Rappler.com
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to the #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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