Apple’s Latest Move: Halting Advertising on “X” Once Again

Apple pulls advertising from Elon Musk’s ‘X’ platform following antisemitic controversy

According to Axios, Apple has stopped advertising on the social media platform now known as “X” for the second time since it was purchased by Elon Musk. The decision came after Musk endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory that was posted on the site, prompting 164 Jewish rabbis and activists to demand other companies like Google, Amazon, and Disney also stop advertising on “X”.

Other major advertisers such as IBM, Disney, Sony, Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate, and Paramount Global have joined Apple in pulling their ads from “X”. A report by Media Matters for America revealed that certain ads from companies like Apple, IBM, Amazon, and Oracle were placed next to posts considered to be from far-right subscribers.

The controversy erupted when Musk replied to a post on “X” that claimed Jewish communities support “dialectical hatred against whites” by saying, “[y]ou have said the actual truth”. This drew a strong rebuke from the White House, as White House spokesperson Andrew Bates called it “unacceptable to repeat the hideous lie behind the most fatal act of Antisemitism in American history”.

In response to the criticism, “X” CEO Linda Yaccarino took to Twitter to express the platform’s commitment to combatting antisemitism and discrimination. However, with major advertisers pulling out, “X” will need to find new sources of income aside from its premium services.

Elon Musk purchased the social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, for $44 billion last year with plans to turn it into a multi-functional “super app” like China’s WeChat. However, the recent controversies have put a dent in those plans as the platform grapples with maintaining its advertising revenue.