A private proposal, a public fallout
In a news development that has caused a stir in the online community, Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX, is in the spotlight once more. On April 16, the Wall Street Journal reported that Musk had sent a private message to crypto influencer and journalist Tiffany Fong in November 2024, proposing that she consider having his child.
Fong, 31, has a significant online presence with over 335,000 followers on social media and 48,000 subscribers on YouTube. She is known for her insightful commentary on cryptocurrency and has covered major scandals involving companies like Celsius Network and FTX. In contrast, Musk, a vocal proponent of increasing global birth rates, has 14 children with four women.
The Wall Street Journal described Musk’s message to Fong as part of a broader pattern. The report suggests that Musk is inclined to have children with women he considers intelligent, possibly part of his long-term vision for sustaining humanity beyond Earth.
Fong reportedly declined Musk’s proposal, expressing her preference for a traditional nuclear family structure to close friends, including conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair. Subsequently, Musk allegedly critiqued Fong for her indiscretion and unfollowed her on social media, resulting in a significant drop in her online visibility and income.
Events leading to the controversy
Fong’s rise to prominence in the crypto community began with her coverage of high-profile financial collapses. Her growing visibility was amplified by a series of interviews she conducted with FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried while he was under house arrest. Musk began engaging with Fong’s content on social media around this time and his direct responses to her posts significantly boosted her online following.
However, the relationship took a turn when Musk sent Fong a private message in November 2024, asking if she would consider having his child. After Fong shared this with a few others, Musk reportedly expressed his displeasure and unfollowed her.
Influence, incentives, and centralized attention
The Musk-Fong incident has sparked a discussion on social media about visibility and influence in platform-based ecosystems. Some users have criticized Musk for his behavior, arguing that it reflects poorly on someone who owns a platform and benefits from public influence.
Others have pointed out that many creators in Fong’s position would have accepted Musk’s proposal, given the correlation between association with Musk and increased visibility and monetization in the crypto space.
However, the incident has also raised questions about Musk’s pattern of expressing interest in having children with women he views as intelligent. Moreover, it has exposed the tension within the crypto community, which advocates for decentralization while still relying on centralized platforms where algorithms shape engagement and exposure.
Fong’s experience has highlighted how easily the system can shift when influential accounts change their engagement patterns. This incident underscores the inherent contradiction within a space built on resisting centralized power.
