Elon Musk Harsh Response to Advertisers On Boycotting X

Key Takeaways
  • Musk's contentious remarks led to advertiser backlash on X due to offensive content alignment and strong language.
  • Backlash over "Great Replacement" Support: Musk's backing of the "Great Replacement" theory drew condemnation for promoting antisemitism.
  • Musk's Israel trip reiterated his stand against hate speech, affirmed during talks with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
30-11-2023 By: Sudeep Saxena
Elon Musk Harsh Resp

Musk defends controversial posts, clashes with advertisers

Elon Musk got mad at advertisers who left his social media site, X, because of offensive content. He used strong words and said, "Go f*** yourself" during an interview. He had earlier said sorry for agreeing with a post that was anti-Jewish on November 15.

People got upset with Musk because he agreed with someone who wrongly said that Jewish people were spreading hate against white people. He said that the person was telling the truth when mentioning a conspiracy theory called the "Great Replacement."

Musk Reflects on Post, Denies Antisemitism Amid Advertiser Exit

Elon Musk expressed regret on Wednesday, admitting that his recent post was like "handing a loaded gun" to his critics. He acknowledged it as possibly one of his worst, amidst a history of what he termed "foolish" messages.

While addressing accusations of antisemitism, the Tesla CEO vehemently denied the claims. He lashed out at the advertisers departing from X, rejecting any notion that they could manipulate him, using strong language multiple times, including a direct "f*** you."

Musk also made a cryptic mention of "Hey Bob," seemingly directed at Robert Iger, CEO of Walt Disney, which had pulled its ads from X.

Fallout from Musk's Controversial Post

The "Great Replacement" theory suggests that Jewish people and leftists are orchestrating a shift in white populations through non-white immigration, leading to what some call "white genocide."

Musk's post got criticized by the White House for spreading antisemitic and racist ideas.

After Musk's post, big U.S. companies like Walt Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and NBCUniversal's parent company, Comcast, stopped showing their ads on X. A group called Media Matters reported finding ads next to posts supporting Nazism, which led to advertisers leaving. X sued Media Matters, saying they defamed the platform.

Musk's Israel Visit and Conversation with Netanyahu

Elon Musk clarified on Wednesday that his trip to Israel was pre-planned and unrelated to the recent issue. While in Israel, Musk expressed his strong stance against antisemitism and anything that fuels hatred or conflict. He assured me that X would not endorse hate speech.

During a live-streamed conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu praised Musk's commitment to building a better future. This meeting followed their prior discussion on artificial intelligence at Tesla's headquarters in California in September.

In their conversation, which occurred shortly after Musk's criticism of the Anti-Defamation League, Netanyahu encouraged Musk to find a balance between safeguarding free speech online and combating hate speech.

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