Credit: Forbes
Apparently, Elon Musk is feeling the heat, and with a dozen major advertisers placing a hold on spending, the X CEO has taken a dig at Apple and the likes of other companies and institutions.
In a tweet on Saturday, Elon wrote:
“Premium+ also has no ads in your timeline.” Musk then followed with what he may see as a selling point – true or not – for his ad-free service. “Many of the largest advertisers are the greatest oppressors of your right to free speech.”
How Musk’s post helps the current state of things remains anyone’s guess, but this is not the first time advertisers are pausing ads on the platform.
A few American tech giants momentarily halted Twitter ads shortly after Elon Musk finished taking over the social media platform in 2022. A few other businesses, including General Motors, wanted Twitter to make it clear what direction it was going at the time.
Apple has now stopped running ads on X, joining a few other advertisers that have already done so, such as IBM and the European Commission.
X has not been able to control hate speech that propagates antisemitic ideas and extols Adolf Hitler on its platform.
164 Jewish rabbis and activists stepped up their call to Apple, Disney, and Amazon to stop advertising on X after Elon Musk endorsed an antisemitic post on Wednesday.
Musk’s endorsement attracted widespread reactions from several high quarters, including the White House.
“It is unacceptable to repeat the hideous lie behind the most fatal act of Antisemitism in American history at any time, let alone one month after the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement per Axios.
On Thursday, X CEO Linda Yaccarino said:
“X’s point of view has always been very clear that discrimination by everyone should STOP across the board — I think that’s something we can and should all agree on. When it comes to this platform — X has also been extremely clear about our efforts to combat antisemitism and discrimination. There’s no place for it anywhere in the world — it’s ugly and wrong. Full stop.”
