Fact Check

No, Mark Zuckerberg Did Not Beg Elon Musk To Buy Facebook

He did not call him “mighty Elon,” either.

Published Feb. 13, 2023

 (Anthony Quintano/Wikimedia Commons)
Image Via Anthony Quintano/Wikimedia Commons
Claim:
Mark Zuckerberg begged Elon Musk to buy Facebook while begging forgiveness for the company’s past mistakes.

In late January 2023, an article on website SpaceXmania.com claimed that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg begged Twitter CEO Elon Musk to buy Facebook from him. This story is labeled as satire. 

The article headline stated, "Breaking: Mark Zuckerberg begs Elon Musk to buy Facebook," with the subtitle "'Forgive me mighty Elon' – Said Zuckerberg." The story goes on to claim that Zuckerberg posted a tearful video on his personal Facebook page in which he begged forgiveness for the company's past mistakes and appealed to Musk to save the company from its downfall.

The article described their alleged interaction which resulted in Zuckerberg agreeing to become Musk's butler:

"I know we've made mistakes, but I truly believe that with Elon at the helm, we can turn Facebook around and make it the great platform it once was," Zuckerberg said in the video.

According to sources close to the situation, Zuckerberg has been struggling to keep the company afloat in the face of increasing competition from newer, more innovative social media platforms. [...] 

But in an unexpected move, Musk took to Twitter to respond to Zuckerberg's plea, saying "I'll do it, but only if you agree to be my personal butler for a year. Deal?"

Many were stunned by Musk's response, with some speculating that the offer was a thinly veiled attempt to humiliate Zuckerberg.

Despite the harsh terms, Zuckerberg reportedly agreed to the deal and was last seen packing his bags for a move to Musk's California mansion.

This story is labeled satire on the website and a note at the bottom of the article states, "This is Satire and not real news."

The two moguls have feuded in the past. Back in 2016, a SpaceX rocket explosion destroyed one of Facebook's satellites, resulting in Zuckerberg releasing a statement expressing his "deep disappointment." After Facebook's Cambridge Analytica scandal, Musk made a public show of deleting SpaceX and Tesla's pages on the platform, saying Facebook gave him "the willies." 

However, their rivalry has not resulted in anything as drastic as Zuckerberg begging forgiveness and trying to sell Musk his company. 

Sources

Bruno, Alex. "Breaking: Mark Zuckerberg Begs Elon Musk to Buy Facebook." SpaceXMania, 25 Jan. 2023, https://spacexmania.com/breaking-mark-zuckerberg-begs-elon-musk-to-buy-facebook/. Accessed 13 Feb. 2023.

Hartmans, Avery. "Elon Musk Made a Jab at Facebook, Linking the Rampage at the Capitol to the Social Network. It's the Latest Insult in a Years-Long Feud between Musk and Mark Zuckerberg." Business Insider, https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-vs-mark-zuckerberg-feud-history-2021-1. Accessed 13 Feb. 2023.

Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is a reporter with experience working in television, international news coverage, fact checking, and creative writing.