Apple and Disney have joined a growing list of companies pausing advertising on X (formerly Twitter) after owner Elon Musk made antisemitic comments on the platform.
The moves come as Musk faces increasing backlash for his comments, which have been widely condemned as hateful and dangerous.
Apple has reportedly “mostly stopped” advertising on X in recent months, but a source told Axios that the company has now paused all of its remaining ads.
“We have paused our advertising on Twitter while we review our marketing spend,” a Disney spokesperson told CNBC.
Other companies that have paused advertising on X include IBM, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Lions Gate Entertainment.
Musk’s comments have also been condemned by the White House, which called them “abhorrent.”
A coalition of more than 150 rabbis has also called for Apple, Disney, Amazon, Oracle, and others to stop advertising on X.
The rabbis wrote in a letter to the companies: “Mr. Musk’s recent tweets are deeply troubling and have the potential to incite hatred and violence against Jews. We urge you to take a stand against antisemitism and to cease all advertising on Twitter until Mr. Musk demonstrates a genuine commitment to combating hate speech on his platform.”
It is unclear how long Apple and Disney will pause their advertising on X. However, the moves are a sign of the growing pressure on Musk to address the issue of hate speech on his platform.
Highlights
Media companies that have suspended advertising on Twitter
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) November 18, 2023
• Disney
• Apple
• Universal
• Warner Bros Discovery
• Paramount
• Lionsgate
This follows ads reportedly appearing near pro-Nazi posts and Elon Musk endorsing antisemitic remarks pic.twitter.com/51pYMsvkUZ
- Apple and Disney have joined a growing list of companies pausing advertising on X after owner Elon Musk made antisemitic comments on the platform.
- The moves come as Musk faces increasing backlash for his comments, which have been widely condemned as hateful and dangerous.
- Apple has reportedly “mostly stopped” advertising on X in recent months, but a source told Axios that the company has now paused all of its remaining ads.
- “We have paused our advertising on Twitter while we review our marketing spend,” a Disney spokesperson told CNBC.
- Other companies that have paused advertising on X include IBM, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Lions Gate Entertainment.
- Musk’s comments have also been condemned by the White House, which called them “abhorrent.”
- A coalition of more than 150 rabbis has also called for Apple, Disney, Amazon, Oracle, and others to stop advertising on X.
- The rabbis wrote in a letter to the companies: “Mr. Musk’s recent tweets are deeply troubling and have the potential to incite hatred and violence against Jews. We urge you to take a stand against antisemitism and to cease all advertising on Twitter until Mr. Musk demonstrates a genuine commitment to combating hate speech on his platform.”
- It is unclear how long Apple and Disney will pause their advertising on X.
- However, the moves are a sign of the growing pressure on Musk to address the issue of hate speech on his platform.
Implications
- The decision by Apple and Disney to pause their advertising on X could have a significant impact on the company’s finances.
- Advertising is a major source of revenue for X, and the loss of revenue from Apple and Disney could be substantial.
- The moves could also damage X’s reputation and make it more difficult for the company to attract other advertisers.
- However, the decision could also be seen as a sign of Apple and Disney’s commitment to combating hate speech.
Next Steps
- It remains to be seen how Musk will respond to the growing pressure on him to address the issue of hate speech on X.
- It is possible that he will take steps to moderate content on the platform more aggressively.
- However, it is also possible that he will resist these calls and continue to allow users to post whatever they want, regardless of how offensive or hateful it may be.
Additional Information
- Musk has a history of making controversial statements on Twitter.
- In the past, he has been criticized for his tweets about COVID-19, vaccines, and transgender people.
- Musk has defended his right to free speech, but he has also said that he will take action against users who post content that is illegal or harmful.