TikTok has restored the advertising account promoting a documentary about billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk after initially suspending it over concerns relating to political content.

The platform said the suspension was the result of an error and confirmed that the account had been reinstated.

The development represents another turn in the distribution challenges facing the four hour documentary, titled Musk, which examines the life and activities of the technology entrepreneur.

The documentary’s distributor, Bleecker Street, had reportedly been informed that TikTok had permanently suspended its advertising account because of the film’s political content.

The film was directed by Oscar winning filmmaker Alex Gibney.

Its promotional advertisements had also initially been rejected by Meta and YouTube, although both platforms eventually allowed the advertisements to run. Meta attributed its initial rejection to an error.

The film has encountered additional uncertainty surrounding its international distribution.

Gibney previously indicated that Universal, the film’s international distributor, had reconsidered its plans to release the documentary.

However, the release is now moving forward. Meanwhile, X, the social media platform owned by Musk, has refused to carry advertisements promoting the film, adding to the difficulties faced by its distributors in reaching audiences through major digital platforms.

TikTok’s decision to restore the account comes amid broader discussions about political content moderation and the role of social media companies in determining which advertisements can appear on their platforms.

TikTok’s United States operations are partly owned by Larry Ellison, a prominent supporter of President Donald Trump who, like Musk, has significant influence in the technology industry.

However, the company has attributed the advertising account’s suspension to an error rather than a deliberate policy decision against the documentary.

The documentary opened in just four theatres during its initial weekend before beginning a wider release. It is also expected to become available for streaming on HBO in 2027.

HBO is part of Paramount Skydance, whose leadership includes David Ellison, the son of Larry Ellison.

Despite the initial advertising restrictions, the restoration of TikTok’s account could help the distributor promote the film to a wider audience as its theatrical release expands.

Source: TechCrunch