Elon Musk is causing a ruckus on his social media hangout X, getting all riled up at advertisers and Media Matters. He’s threatening a massive lawsuit after brands stopped spending money on his platform.
Musk vs. Media Matters Drama
Elon Musk not holding back—he’s planning to hit Media Matters hard with a big lawsuit. He’s not just aiming at them; he’s going after their board, donors, and anyone else he thinks was involved in what he calls a shady attack on X.
Advertisers Slamming the Brakes
The chaos started when Media Matters pointed out that ads for big brands were showing up next to posts spewing pro-Nazi stuff on X. Things got even crazier when Elon Musk himself tweeted things the White House labeled as promoting hate.
Big Brands Pumping the Breaks
After the report, huge companies like Apple, Comcast/NBC Universal, Disney, IBM, Lions Gate, Paramount Global, and Warner Bros. Discovery hit pause on putting their ads on X. Elon Musk then pitched a premium, ad-free version of X, saying big advertisers are stomping on free speech.
X’s Defense and Accusations Flying
X’s spokesperson, Joe Benarroch, called out Media Matters, saying they painted a totally wrong picture of what X users actually see. He’s claiming that Media Matters made a fake X account, followed specific accounts to pick out posts, and then fooled advertisers about where their ads would show up.
Social Media Content Mess
It’s not just X dealing with content problems. Other platforms like Facebook, Reddit, and TikTok also struggle to control hateful and false content. Musk himself got flak for boosting some really questionable views on Twitter.
Musk’s Tweet Troubles
Musk’s tweets got him in hot water too. He agreed with a post spreading lies about Jewish people promoting hate against white folks, and that didn’t sit well with a lot of folks, including the White House.
New X Rules According to Musk
Trying to clean up the mess, Musk laid down new rules for X, saying calls for extreme violence won’t fly and will get accounts suspended.
Mixed Reactions and Past Issues
While some folks, like the ADL’s CEO, liked Musk’s promise to tackle what he sees as nasty speech, he’s had a load of clashes with organizations like the ADL, even threatening to take legal action against them before. Watchdog.
Speculations about Lawsuits
It’s not clear if Musk’s company will actually sue Media Matters or where they’d do it. X is in San Francisco while Media Matters is in Washington, D.C.
Media Matters Hits Back
Media Matters isn’t backing down. Their president, Angelo Carusone, is calling Musk a bully trying to shut down honest reporting.
So, Musk’s gearing up for a legal battle while dealing with backlash over stuff on X. Advertisers have hit the brakes, and Media Matters is standing tall, setting the stage for a potential showdown in court.