Elon Musk’s Response to X Advertisers Could “Kill” the Platform, According to the Tech Mogul
H2: Musk’s Bold Statement
Elon Musk has made an audacious statement to advertisers who are choosing to flee X following his endorsement of an antisemitic post. During an appearance at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit, Musk issued a straightforward message to companies such as Disney, Apple, and IBM: “Go fuck yourself.”
H3: Musk’s Call to Advertisers
Musk made it clear that he believes advertisers with concerns about his conduct should stop spending on the platform, which has historically been dependent on ad revenue. “Don’t advertise,” Musk remarked during the event, expressing his disdain for companies attempting to blackmail him with advertising. He also took a direct jab at Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, who spoke at the same event but did not comment on whether his company would resume advertising on X.
H3: Financial Implications
While companies like Disney have paused advertising on X, Musk appears to be at odds with them. In fact, the multinational entertainment and theme park giant, valued at nearly $170 billion, may not need X as much as Musk needs their ad spending. When Musk acquired Twitter in 2022 and took the company private, masking its financials, X employees were recently awarded stock grants at a valuation of $45 per share, valuing the company at $19 billion—less than half of what Musk paid for the platform a year ago.
H3: The Antisemitic Post
The advertising crisis on X was sparked on November 15 when a user posted an antisemitic comment. Musk publicly replied in support of the comment, which was widely seen as lending support to the “great replacement” conspiracy theory popular among right-wing extremists. Musk later described the post as “one of the most foolish if not the most foolish thing I’ve ever done on the platform.”
H3: The Response From Israel
Recently, Musk traveled to Israel and met with the country’s president, Isaac Herzog, and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Herzog specifically addressed the issue of antisemitism on social media, including platforms led by Musk. This reflects the widespread impact of Musk’s actions and statements on X.
Ultimately, Musk’s controversial behavior has not only led to a crisis in advertising on X but has also sparked global conversations about the responsibility of tech leaders in combatting hate speech and antisemitism online.
