Electric vehicle maker Tesla has removed access to the popular streaming service Disney+ from its in-car theater software, according to reports from owners. The move comes amidst a heated Twitter exchange between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Disney CEO Bob Iger over Twitter’s new verification policies.
Elon Musk, who recently acquired Twitter in a $44 billion deal, rolled out a new verification system tying the sought-after blue check mark to a new Twitter Blue subscription rather than identity verification. Iger took issue with the policy, tweeting that verification previously conferred credibility and trust, qualities now “diluted” by Elon Musk new system.
In response, Elon Musk mocked Disney+’s recent loss of subscribers and content as reasons why verified check marks confer little actual credibility. The Tesla CEO also suggested he could expose insider Disney secrets, threatening “Who else owns stock they want to unload?”
Now Tesla owners are reporting that Disney+ has been silently removed as a streaming option on vehicle displays. The timing suggests retaliation by Elon Musk against Disney over the verification disagreement on Twitter.
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Previously, Disney+ was available through Tesla Theater, an in-car app allowing video streaming when parked. Owners could link accounts to watch Disney+ original or classic content from the convenience of their Tesla touch screens.
No statement or comment has yet been released by Tesla. Some customers have expressed frustration over losing access to a service they have paid for and enjoyed.
The Disney+ removal represents collateral damage amidst the ongoing Elon Musk -Iger spat. With Elon Musk prone to irrational positions and sudden decisions, some analysts fear he could steer Twitter and even Tesla down an erratic path. The billionaire is also pursuing ruthless cost-cutting efforts at Twitter that have alienated both employees and users.
Meanwhile, Disney is facing its subscriber and stock declines driven by metastasizing competition in the streaming industry.
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It remains unclear whether Disney+ will return to Tesla vehicles if Elon Musk and Iger smooth relations over Twitter’s verification program. But Musk has demonstrated a willingness to ignore consumers’ preferences in pursuing personal grudges or principles.
The deplatforming also highlights Elon Musk unchecked power as both the world’s richest man and sole leader of companies valuable in their own right. Critics have sounded alarms over his concentrated control.
Going forward, Tesla owners may see more features held hostage to Elon Musk capricious whims and political battles. With Elon Musk firing internal critics and attacking external ones, there is also little to keep his worst impulses in check – as Disney+ learned for merely crossing the SpaceX and Neuralink boss on social media.
