Mr. Musk’s public connection with Tesla fans has nurtured a sense of community among investors and customers, his supporters say. Tesla benefits from the digital-content creators to help market its products and has largely avoided spending large sums on advertising. Company referral programs have provided customers with free vehicles and use of its quick-charging stations, among other perks…

Over the years there has been a shift in Mr. Musk’s use of Twitter, and the conversations around Tesla have become polarized, Mr. Lambert said. He said the CEO will only engage with “people that are just extreme promoters.”

Concerns about online harassment within Tesla’s digital community have also resulted in litigation. Aaron Greenspan, an investor who had a short interest in Tesla, sued Messrs. Qazi and Musk in Northern California federal court in May 2020 alleging defamation and securities violations, among other claims. Mr. Greenspan alleges that Mr. Qazi harassed him through Twitter, phone calls, websites and texts.