Musk's Instagram jibe, break-up and a documentary on work culture put him in the spotlight again

Elon Musk, the world's richest man and a leading figure in the technology industry, is in the middle of controversy once again. Musk, who heads SpaceX, Tesla and the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), regularly makes headlines for his statements and unusual behaviour as well as for his inventions and business acumen. This time it is not only his political or business decisions. A remark he made about Instagram, startling disclosures involving his former partners and a new documentary on the strict work environment at his companies are all being discussed together.

It began with the Instagram remark. Musk is very active on X, and a single post of his often stirs reaction across the world. A user recently wrote on X, "I have officially deleted my Instagram account. It is clearly an app for girls and has no use." Musk did not merely share the post. He wrote on it, "Instagram is only for girls."

The remark spread quickly and drew sharp reactions from social media users. Many called the statement sexist and unnecessary. One user asked Musk directly, "If Instagram is for girls, then who is X (Twitter) for?" That one line from Musk has set off a fresh debate on the internet.

Musk is also going through a difficult and contentious phase in his personal life. His partner Shivon Zilis recently made an emotional and startling post on social media. Zilis said Musk ended their relationship suddenly, without any prior notice or explanation. Zilis and Musk have four children together. After the sudden break-up, questions are again being raised about the instability of Musk's relationships. A legal battle is also under way in court over full custody of a child he has with another former partner, Ashley St Clair.

A custody dispute between the Canadian singer Grimes and Musk over their children has also been in the news continuously for the past few months. Grimes and Musk have three children, but sharp differences have arisen between them over parenting rights and the upbringing of the children. Grimes has taken the legal route and is fighting in court for custody of the children. The legal and personal disputes with several former partners at once show that Musk's family life has become extremely stressful and tangled.

It is not only his personal life. The work culture of Musk's business empire is also becoming a major point of controversy. A recently released investigative documentary and several reports have exposed the work environment at his companies, describing it as inhuman. The documentary raises serious questions about heavy mental pressure on employees, excessive working hours and Musk's extreme behaviour at big companies such as Tesla and SpaceX. Musk's biography and the documentary make several startling claims about his mental stress, his habit of taking sudden decisions and his strained relationships with colleagues.

Whether it is the dispute with former US President Donald Trump or his role in American politics, Musk has always kept himself at the centre of controversy. Now the Instagram remark, the break-up, the court cases over children's custody and the disclosures about work culture at his companies have brought his image back into discussion. The whole world is now watching how Musk deals with these controversies and what effect they have on his business empire.