Elon Musk condemned for spreading falsehood about Netflix hit

"Adolescence" became a Netflix hit in just one day. Within a few hours of the premiere of the British production, which consists of only four episodes, the series was making waves across the internet. It's no surprise, as "Adolescence" is a gripping story about a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a schoolmate. From the first episode, it's apparent that he committed the crime. However, in the following episodes, viewers follow the police and the boy's family as they try to understand what really happened in Jamie's life (the incredible Owen Cooper). The creators of the series openly discussed what motivated them.

The creators of the series, its writers Stephen Graham (who also played the father) and Jack Thorne, have emphasised in numerous interviews that "Adolescence" does not stem from any specific true story. That is, there is no Miller family that one morning was pinned to the ground by the police storming their home and dragging out their 13-year-old son accused of murdering another teenager.

However, the creators note that the script was developed in response to the increasing number of reported cases of murders committed by young boys. The British Ministry of Justice reported in March 2023 that out of 18,000 knife-related crimes, as many as 17.3% were committed by perpetrators aged 10 to 17.

In one interview, Stephen Graham reflected on how deeply affected he was by a case in which a young boy stabbed a girl. He questioned what was happening to society that such a tragedy could occur, and what might be behind such an act of violence. As similar incidents kept happening again and again, he felt the need to raise awareness and ask people: how did we allow this to happen?

Graham also raised concerns about the situation of young men, questioning what is happening to them and what kinds of pressures they are facing—from their peers, the internet, and social media

Meanwhile, Elon Musk, the head of the X platform, is spreading fake news about "Adolescence." Musk expressed his surprise after a user wrote that the series is based on real events that took place in Southport, UK on 29th July 2024. An 18-year-old named Axel Rudakubana attacked children during a dance lesson, killing three girls and injuring eight other children. More about the case was written by WP News. The mentioned user pointed out in his post that the creators of "Adolescence" changed the skin colour of the perpetrator, who was in July 2024 a Black migrant, adding at the end that Netflix is spreading "anti-white propaganda."

Elon Musk repeated this fake news, adding a simple "wow" and giving the post more visibility on the X platform.

"Adolescence" is not inspired by one specific case, and production began before the Southport tragedy. The series shows how dangerous internet influences can be on youth, even in a seemingly safe home environment. Graham noted that parents are often blamed for such situations, which is not always accurate. The production is breaking viewership records on Netflix, with approximately 24 million views within four days of its premiere. It has a chance to surpass the popularity of "The Reindeer."