Elon Musk asks advertisers to 'go f*** themselves' as major ones flee X
According to a report from The New York Times, this advertiser boycott could potentially cost X up to $75 million in revenue this quarter. Image: Getty Images
Renowned for his outspoken nature and controversies, billionaiare Elon Musk on On Wednesday, November 29, said "Go f*** yourself," to advertisers such as Apple and Disney who are withdrawing from his social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
🚨 Exclusive Footage:@elonmusk's no-holds-barred message to advertisers at NYT's DealBook Summit......#GoFuckYourself!
— Kris 🧑💻 (@nuclear_AI) November 30, 2023
Hes the only one speaking the truth in a world of #corruption👇#Tesla #X #Humans #ThankyouElon pic.twitter.com/ERMrooXK2u
These major companies, along with IBM, are boycotting Musk's platform in protest against his alleged antisemitic remarks.
Why are advertisers pulling from X?
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Advertisers are pulling from X primarily due to a sequence of events surrounding Elon Musk's contentious actions and statements:
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Musk's response to advertisers: Musk retaliated against advertisers during The New York Times conversation by openly expressing, "If somebody's gonna try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money? Go f*** yourself."
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This was seemingly directed towards Robert Iger, the Chief Executive of Walt Disney, after Disney withdrew its ads from 'X.' Iger earlier stated that the association with 'X' following Musk's actions was not favorable for Disney.
- Antisemitic comments: Musk faced significant backlash for endorsing an anti-Jewish post on 'X' on November 15
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His reply to a user's statement, perceived as supporting the "Great Replacement” conspiracy theory popular among right-wing extremists, was deemed to lend credibility to hateful rhetoric. Musk later acknowledged this post as possibly the worst among his history of messages, including numerous "foolish" ones.
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Apology and anger: Despite apologizing for the controversial post at the DealBook Summit, Musk reasserted his anger towards advertisers, labeling their actions as a form of blackmail. He emphasized that brands not wishing to advertise on the platform should refrain from doing so.
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Impact on X and future outlook: Musk acknowledged the potential damage of an advertising boycott on 'X,' admitting that such actions could lead to the platform's failure. He expressed that if 'X' collapses due to an advertiser boycott, it would be a widely known reason for the company's bankruptcy.