Fact Checking

Elon Musk’s X Sues Advertisers for Antitrust Violations due to Boycott

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Elon Musk’s social media platform X has filed a lawsuit against a group of advertisers, alleging that a “massive advertiser boycott” cost the company billions in revenue and violated antitrust laws. The suit, filed Tuesday in a Texas federal court, targets the World Federation of Advertisers and member companies Unilever, Mars, CVS Health, and Orsted.

X, formerly known as Twitter, claims the Global Alliance for Responsible Media coordinated an advertising pause after Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in late 2022. Musk announced the lawsuit on X, declaring “now it is war” after two years of unsuccessful negotiations.

X CEO Linda Yaccarino stated the lawsuit partly relies on evidence from the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, which indicated an illegal boycott organized by several companies. The committee, led by Republicans, recently investigated anticompetitive practices in online advertising.

The suit focuses on the early days of Musk’s takeover, separate from a 2023 incident where advertisers left X over concerns about ads appearing next to hate speech. Musk had previously criticized these advertisers, accusing them of “blackmail.”