Tech Billionaires the Target of Hilarious Hack at Crosswalks in California

In a bizarre twist of events, several pedestrian crossings in northern California have been hacked, broadcasting humorous fake messages from tech titans Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, leading to investigations and corrective measures by local officials.

Pedestrian crossings in several locations within northern California have become the center of attention after being hacked to play parody messages impersonating tech giants Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. The peculiar audio features, which ordinarily guide pedestrians to "walk" or "wait," were manipulated to deliver amusing faux announcements that began to surface over the weekend in cities like Palo Alto, Redwood City, and Menlo Park, areas closely associated with both billionaires' enterprises.

Among the false Musk messages, one claimed the entrepreneur was willing to purchase a Tesla Cybertruck for anyone who would befriend him, while another saw "Zuckerberg" cheekily describing himself as "The Zuck." The precise identity of the prankster remains unknown, but state officials have ramped up their investigation into how the hacking occurred.

Pedro Quintana, spokesperson for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), noted that roughly 10 pedestrian crossings were affected, all of which have since switched to a timer system while the activated buttons for the impersonated messages have been disabled. The humorous impersonations only add to the ongoing narrative of Silicon Valley's competitive tech culture, where both Musk and Zuckerberg have significant business operations.

In a particularly entertaining message, someone posing as Musk welcomed individuals to Palo Alto, humorously remarking, "You know, they say money can't buy happiness and... I guess that's true. God knows I've tried." Meanwhile, a Zuckerberg impersonation expanded on the tech mogul’s vision of incorporating artificial intelligence into daily life, a nod to ongoing discussions about the future of technology.

The city of Palo Alto confirmed that at least 12 local crossings had been impacted, with staff first alerted to the issue on Saturday. Meghan Horrigan-Taylor, a city spokesperson, indicated that the tampering likely occurred the day before, leading to an immediate suspension of the audio features until thorough inspections and repairs could be conducted.

As of now, neither Musk nor Zuckerberg has publicly addressed the situation, leaving the twist of humor hanging in the air amidst a backdrop of tech innovation and competition in the heartland of California's bustling tech scene.