When Tech Giants Act Like Toddlers: The MKBHD-Tesla Saga
There’s something deeply absurd about watching billionaire CEOs throw tantrums over YouTube reviews. Yet here we are in 2026, and apparently Elon Musk has decided to give tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) the silent treatment because he sold his Cybertruck and preferred a Rivian instead.
Let me get this straight: a company worth over a trillion dollars is ghosting one of the most influential tech reviewers on the planet because he exercised consumer choice. The pettiness is almost impressive in its scale.
The story goes that MKBHD had both a Rivian and a Cybertruck, decided he didn’t want to keep both vehicles, and chose to keep the Rivian. A perfectly reasonable decision for anyone who’s seen the build quality issues and general impracticality of the Cybertruck. But apparently, this was enough for Elon to unfollow him on X (formerly Twitter, because of course it needed rebranding) and for Tesla to stop providing review units ahead of launches.
What really gets under my skin about this whole situation is the fundamental misunderstanding of how product reviews should work. Tesla seems to operate under the assumption that media access is a reward for positive coverage rather than a professional relationship that benefits both parties. When you give a reviewer early access to your product, you’re not buying an advertisement – you’re participating in journalism. If your product is good, that journalism will be positive. If it’s not, well, that’s information consumers deserve to have.
The irony here is thick enough to cut with a knife. Tesla has benefited enormously from MKBHD’s coverage over the years. His reviews have been watched by millions, and for a long time, he was genuinely enthusiastic about Tesla’s products. But the moment he showed any independence or preference for a competitor, the relationship soured. It’s the corporate equivalent of a child taking their ball and going home.
What bothers me even more is that this behaviour seems to be becoming normalized in tech circles. We’re seeing more and more companies that want to control not just their products, but the entire narrative around them. They want influencers, not journalists. They want advertisements disguised as reviews, not honest assessments.
Look, I get that MKBHD isn’t perfect. The whole wallpaper app debacle showed he’s capable of questionable business decisions too. But at least he killed that app when people pushed back on it. There’s something to be said for someone who can admit a mistake and move on, even if it was a rather spectacular own goal to begin with.
The broader issue here is about accountability and transparency in tech. When companies like Tesla can simply freeze out critics – and make no mistake, choosing a competitor’s product over yours is a form of criticism – it creates an environment where honest reviews become harder to come by. Smaller creators who depend on manufacturer relationships for their content might think twice about being critical if they see what happens to someone as established as MKBHD.
And let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Elon himself. The man has become increasingly thin-skinned over the years, unable to handle even mild criticism without lashing out. From calling rescue divers paedophiles to his recent political activities that have alienated huge portions of his customer base, he’s turned Tesla ownership into a statement that many people would rather avoid making. The “Elmo Tax” – the social cost of being associated with his increasingly erratic behaviour – is real, and it’s affecting Tesla’s brand whether the stock price reflects it yet or not.
The thing is, Tesla doesn’t need to act this way. The Model Y is genuinely a successful vehicle – it was one of the best-selling cars globally in 2025. They have real achievements to point to. But instead of letting their products speak for themselves, they’re getting into petty feuds with YouTubers who dare to have opinions.
Meanwhile, Chinese EV manufacturers are eating everyone’s lunch with better technology, better build quality, and significantly lower prices. That video MKBHD did on the Chinese EV was genuinely eye-opening. Here’s a company that’s never made cars before creating something that makes Tesla’s offerings look dated and overpriced. And they’re doing it without the drama, without the social media tantrums, without the cult of personality.
The Australian EV market is watching all of this unfold with great interest. We’re getting more Chinese EVs here, and while we don’t have the same political barriers that North America has, we’re seeing firsthand what happens when established players get complacent. Tesla had nearly a decade of runway with minimal serious competition, and instead of using that time to iterate and improve, they’ve been busy with side projects and leadership drama.
What frustrates me most about situations like this is the wasted potential. Tesla could be focusing on addressing legitimate quality control issues, improving their customer service (which is legendarily bad), and actually competing on product merit. Instead, they’re playing high school popularity contest games with YouTubers.
The tech industry has a maturity problem. We’ve built these companies up into cultural titans, but too many of them are run by people who act like petulant children when things don’t go their way. Whether it’s throwing legal threats around, manipulating review cycles, or just straight-up ghosting critics, the behaviour reflects poorly on an industry that’s supposed to be about innovation and progress.
Here’s hoping that other manufacturers are taking notes – not on how to replicate this behaviour, but on how not to handle criticism. Because at the end of the day, consumers aren’t stupid. We can tell when we’re being sold to versus when we’re being informed. And we definitely notice when companies throw tantrums instead of taking feedback on board.
Maybe one day we’ll get tech leadership that’s secure enough to handle honest reviews without personalizing every criticism. Until then, I suppose we’ll just have to keep watching billionaires act like toddlers who’ve had their favourite toy taken away. It would be entertaining if it weren’t so embarrassing for everyone involved.