Elon Musk Launches Blistering Critique Against Advertisers Exiting X
In a heated tirade, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has vehemently criticized companies participating in an advertising boycott of X (formerly Twitter), warning that their actions may lead to the demise of the social media platform.
Speaking at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit, Musk accused advertisers, including Disney, Apple, and Comcast, of attempting to blackmail him. Responding to a question about the ad boycott, Musk lashed out, saying, “If someone is going to blackmail me with advertising or money, go [expletive] yourself.”
His profanity-laden outburst also included a direct message to Disney CEO Bob Iger, who had earlier spoken at the summit. Musk asserted that he does not want these companies to advertise on X, and he emphasized his strong feelings on the matter.
Furthermore, Musk suggested that the advertising boycott could spell the end for X, stating, “What this advertising boycott is going to do is it’s going to kill the company. The whole world will know those advertisers killed the company, and we will document it in great detail.”
Elon Musk’s comments come in the wake of concerns over antisemitism on X, including a controversial post made by Musk himself. The entrepreneur apologized for the post, describing it as the “dumbest” thing he has ever shared online.
X’s Chief Executive, Linda Yaccarino, present during Musk’s remarks, reposted what she termed his “candid interview” and expressed her perspective on advertising, stating, “X is standing at a unique and amazing intersection of Free Speech and Main Street — and the X community is powerful and is here to welcome you.”
The advertising boycott is not solely linked to Musk’s controversial post, as advertisers had already been diverting their spending elsewhere. The company acknowledged a 50% decline in ad revenue three months ago and faces additional challenges, including allegations by liberal group Media Matters, which claims to have found evidence of ads placed next to Nazi content on X. X has filed a lawsuit against Media Matters, stating that their report misrepresents the user experience and aims to undermine freedom of speech.
The fallout from Musk’s comments raises questions about the potential impact on X’s revenue, as the platform is no longer publicly traded and does not release quarterly reports. The controversy adds to the challenges facing X, which heavily relies on advertising revenue.
