Advertisers drop X after Musk backs anti-Semitic post
An exodus of big-name advertisers appeared under way at X, formerly Twitter, on Friday in the wake of Elon Musk endorsing an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. Nonprofit group Media Matters added Apple, Disney, Comcast, Lionsgate Entertainment, and Paramount Global to its list of companies pausing advertising on X. "Lionsgate has suspended advertising on X because of Elon Musk's recent antisemitic tweets," said a spokesperson for the motion picture production and distribution company. IBM on Thursday said it stopped advertising on X due to a report its ads were shown next to pro-Nazi posts at X. Apple and Disney did not reply to requests for comment. "Major blue-chip companies are announcing they will suspend all advertising," the group said on a web page featuring a running list. In the year since taking over Twitter, now rebranded as X, Musk has gutted content moderation, restored accounts of previously banned extremists, and allowed users to purchase account verification, helping them profit from viral – but often inaccurate – posts. (AFP)