In November 2023, Elon Musk sent a blunt message to advertisers who had stopped spending on X (formerly Twitter), singling out Robert Iger, CEO of Disney. Musk said, “Don’t advertise. If someone tries to blackmail me with money… Go fuck yourself.” He repeated it slowly for emphasis: “Go… fuck… yourself. Is that clear? Hey Bob, if you’re in the audience.” His words were impulsive, radical, controversial, and quintessentially “Musk.” But now, in an unexpected turn, he has taken a far more sophisticated approach to the same issue.
Musk’s social media platform, X, is now suing former advertisers and the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), accusing them of an unlawful conspiracy and boycott. Specifically, companies like Unilever, Mars, Ørsted, and CVS Health are named in the lawsuit, with claims that their actions cost X billions in lost advertising revenue.
In an open letter written by Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, Musk made it clear: “For two years, we tried for peace. Now it’s war.” The group of advertisers, under the banner of the 2019 Responsible Media Initiative, had refused to advertise on X, citing the platform’s insufficient efforts to curb illegal and harmful content.
In its lawsuit, X argues that it follows content safety measures comparable to those of other social media competitors and that advertisers, by refusing to spend, acted against their own financial interests. X further claims that these companies violated U.S. antitrust laws through collusion and demands compensation, along with a court order to stop the boycott.
Though the title of this article frames the situation in an almost absurd light, Musk’s legal team asserts they can prove the conspiracy’s illegality. However, experts are skeptical, noting that demonstrating such a coordinated effort will be extremely challenging.
