Prominent companies, including Apple, Disney, Comcast, and Warner Brothers Discovery, have suspended their advertising campaigns on X, according to reports in the US. This move follows IBM’s decision to join the boycott.
The European Commission, along with TV network Paramount and movie studio Lionsgate, have also withdrawn their advertising budgets from X.
The boycott gained traction after X’s owner, Elon Musk, shared an antisemitic trope, triggering widespread outrage. Mr. Musk faced criticism after responding to a post that propagated an antisemitic conspiracy theory, describing it as “actual truth.”
Although Mr. Musk denied being antisemitic and clarified that his comments were not directed at all Jewish people but specific groups like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and other unspecified “Jewish communities,” his endorsement of the post drew condemnation from the White House. Spokesperson Andrew Bates expressed strong disapproval, labeling it as “abhorrent promotion of antisemitic and racist hate.”
On Friday, the ADL, a prominent critic of X’s content moderation policies, surprisingly commended Mr. Musk for taking steps to combat hate on the platform. In a post on X, Mr. Musk indicated that individuals using phrases such as “from the river to the sea,” a coded call for Israel’s destruction as described by the ADL, could face suspension from the platform. ADL chief executive Jonathan Greenblatt welcomed this move, considering it “important and welcome.”
X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, reaffirmed the platform’s commitment to combating antisemitism and discrimination, emphasizing that there is no place for such hatred anywhere in the world. The growing advertising boycott underscores the importance of addressing hate speech and ensuring responsible content moderation on social media platforms.