After the House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary released a report accusing the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) of colluding with companies to censor conservative voices online, Elon Musk chimed in. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk wrote that X “has no choice but to file suit against the perpetrators and collaborators” behind an advertiser boycott on his platform.
“Hopefully, some states will consider criminal prosecution,” Musk wrote, leading several X users to suggest that Musk wants it to be illegal for brands to refuse to advertise on X.
Among other allegations, Congress’ report claimed that GARM—which is part of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), whose members “represent roughly 90 percent of global advertising spend, or almost one trillion dollars annually”—directed advertisers to boycott Twitter shortly after Musk took over the platform.
Twitter/X’s revenue tanked after Musk’s takeover, with Bloomberg reporting last month that X lost almost 40 percent of revenue in the first six months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. That’s worse than prior estimates last May, which put Twitter’s loss around one-third of its total valuation. Ars chronicled the worst impacts of the ad boycott, including sharp drop-offs in the US, where an internal Twitter presentation leaked to The New York Times showed Twitter’s ad revenue was down by as much as 59 percent “for the five weeks from April 1 to the first week of May” in 2023.
Last year, Musk sued other “collaborators” in the X boycott, including hate speech researchers, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), and Media Matters for America (MMFA). However, his suit against the CCDH was dismissed this March, and Media Matters has claimed that Musk filing his MMFA lawsuit in Texas may be “fatal” because of a jurisdictional defect.
I could have sworn I read that Musk was a free speech absolutist. Freedom for me but not for thee?
He only believes in the first 22 words of the first amendment. If you want to speak about what he has done, or (far worse) gather with others that share your beliefs to speak extra loud… straight to jail.
Musk wants freedom of speech for people. But his definition of “people” is very, very narrow.
Their obsession with “freeze peach” has always been a facade to their true desire which is to censor opposing viewpoints and make their viewpoints the only form of acceptable speech.
You’ll note that everything outside those bounds is “woke” and unacceptable
Nope he’s just a fascist hiding behind free speech.
This is the case with literally every conservative crowing about “free speech”. They want full freedom for themselves so that no matter what they say there can’t be any negative consequences or reactions, and everybody else can get fucked and die in an extermination camp
and the home of the braaaaaaave!
*some terms and conditions apply, bravery not available in most areas
The power of maaaaanyyyyyyyyyy 🤮
I could of sworn I read that shit doesn’t actually stink, but the pile of emperic evidence has led me to believe otherwise.
He certainly exercises his free speech to lie about his advocacy for free speech.
So that is why he is donating to the Trump campaign. Best to get in the list of people he wishes to be persecuted sooner than later. Apparently it’s first come first serve.
Just as long as “serve” doesn’t mean “pay” because then it’s first come never serve.
But the free market…
And now you know why he’s donating to the Trump campaign.
Because with the shift of power with project 2025 he can actually do this.
Let’s just start with deporting two illegal immigrants from South Africa and see how that feels first.
The video shows Kimbal talking about Zip2, the company Elon founded in 1995, and the challenge of raising money in the 1990s. The two men were amazed that anyone would invest $3 million in their company.
“In fact, when they did fund us, they realized that we were illegal immigrants,” Kimball says in the video.
“Well, I mean…” Elon says.
“Yes, we were,” Kimbal replies.
“I’d say it was a gray area,” Elon insists as the crowd laughs.
“We were illegal immigrants…” Kimbal says, continuing his story about how they were sleeping in an office when raising money from venture capitalists.
-Milken Institute interview, May 2013>
Everyone knows that only counts if you’re brown
Lol
If he doesn’t like being blackmailed he could always just fund Twitter himself.
New law, everyone must be nice to me :(
Wasn’t he crying that he can’t be extorted with money or something? Fucking cry baby.
Dude literally told advertisers to go fuck themselves and is now like “well wait, I didn’t mean it like that” lmao
This is the best summary I could come up with:
After the House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary released a report accusing the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) of colluding with companies to censor conservative voices online, Elon Musk chimed in.
There is no telling yet if Yaccarino’s seeming support of GARM may strain her relationship with Musk, who has parted ways with several X executives during his reign over content moderation conflicts.
The Committee on the Judiciary reported that GARM may be violating the Sherman Act, which “makes unreasonable restraints of trade illegal,” including certain cases when “group boycotts and coordinated actions” harm consumers.
This allegedly worked to “rob consumers of choices” and “is likely illegal under the antitrust laws,” in addition to threatening “fundamental American freedoms,” the committee’s report said.
"GARM creates voluntary industry standards on brand safety and suitability which media sellers and ad tech companies can voluntarily adopt, adapt or reject.
“In consultation with legal counsel, WFA maintains robust and effective compliance policies designed to enhance competition,” GARM told Ars.
The original article contains 926 words, the summary contains 166 words. Saved 82%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
What’s this? Another petty tyrant king demanding taxes from his serfs? These billionaires are fucked up in the head. They can’t just sit back, killing their livers, getting drunk and wasted on drugs on their yachts. No, they have to bend the world to their will at the expense of everyone else living in it. Even then, that isn’t enough.
Cute of him to think he is as valuable as Israel
What do you mean by this? Elon is shit but he still has more value than a genocidal state running on hate imo.
Israel lobby made it illegal for US companies and government workers to boycott israel.
~~https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Anti-Boycott_Act~~
I think I linked the wrong wiki
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/999
Here is the law.
Better wiki: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-BDS_laws
Looks like the criminal part is at the state level with 38 passing such laws.
Ah okay, I figured I was misunderstanding what you meant.
What the actual fuck…
AIPAC lobbied for this shite and got it done…
Now remember this when your favourite daddy politicians tells you how congress can’t accomplish anything due to partisan grid lock ;)
I read a little on the wiki page you linked, and it seems it was in fact not passed.
The act consisted of House and Senate bills H.R. 1697 and S. 720 and died in Congress
I think I linked the wrong wiki
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/999
Here is the law.
Better wiki: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-BDS_laws
Looks like the criminal part is at the state level with 38 passing such laws.
Another day, another reason to be glad I live in Massachusetts!
He lost his shit some time ago, but still goes even more apeshit.
A pretty predictable outcome of extended drug use.
Thank god this muppet wasn’t born in the US, or he would definetely be making a presidential run. Maybe he will just try and pull a Trump and disrespect the constitution and try and change rules to benefit himself personally.
TIL advertisement market is worth 1000 billion $.
Assuming 2 billion people owning an internet capable device, that’s 500 $ per person.
It’s estimated to be around 66% of the global population, or 5.35b people… so $186.92 per person
Guess my number was old. :(
We’re worth less now because they’ve already taken a bunch of our money.
Yes yes. We see that online people has gone from 2B -> 5.3B. Oopsie daisy my numbers must be out of date.
Meanwhile “what has capitalism ever done for humanity??”
