Musk gives blunt, unapologetic rebuke to advertisers trying to pressure platform

11/30/2023 3:39:08 AM

(MENAFN) Elon Musk, the tech billionaire and owner of X (formerly Twitter), delivered a blunt and unapologetic rebuke to advertisers attempting to pressure the platform. Speaking at the DealBook Summit, Musk responded to questions about a recent advertising boycott prompted by allegations of anti-Semitism on the platform.

When asked whether his recent trip to Israel was an "apology tour" in response to the anti-Semitism allegations, Musk dismissed the notion and instead issued a strong statement to advertisers. "I hope they stop. Don't advertise," Musk declared. He went on to express his disdain for attempts to use advertising as a form of pressure, stating, "If someone's going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money? Go f**k yourself."

Musk, who acquired Twitter last year for an estimated $44 billion and subsequently rebranded it as X, has been vocal about his objections to platform censorship. Under his ownership, he has made significant changes, including firing a substantial portion of the staff and unbanning numerous accounts to promote free speech.

The controversy surrounding X escalated earlier this month when several major corporations withdrew their advertisements from the platform. This move followed a report by the advocacy group Media Matters for America (MMFA), which alleged that X displayed ads next to "pro-Nazi" and "anti-Semitic" content.

In response, X published an analysis challenging the claims made by Media Matters, asserting that the advocacy group manipulated algorithms with fake accounts to falsify its allegations.

Musk has taken legal action against Media Matters, filing a lawsuit against the Democrat-linked operation.

Musk's unequivocal stance reflects his commitment to challenging attempts to influence X through advertising pressure and underscores the ongoing tensions between tech platforms, advertisers, and issues of content moderation and free speech.

MENAFN30112023000045015687ID1107514437

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.