2023-11-30 15:05:00
Advertisers boycotted the social network X (formerly Twitter) following Elon Musk relayed an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory on the site. An initiative that might “ kill » the platform, the businessman estimated this Wednesday, November 30. Also, he apologized for his comments. However, he had very harsh words for the advertisers who chose to suspend their advertisements on try to blackmail (him) ». ” Screw you. Is that clear ? », he told them during an interview which took place on Wednesday, at DealBook Summitan event organized by the New York Times.
In detail, several large American companies, notably Apple, the cable operator Comcast and Disney, have suspended the broadcast of their advertisements on X. They have joined other advertisers who had already deserted the platform following the media observatory Media Matters noted that advertisements from high-profile brands also appeared on a neo-Nazi account.
And immediately following this sentence once morest advertisers, Elon Musk pretended to greet the CEO of Disney (“ Hi Bob! “) Bob Iger, whose group is among the companies involved and who was interviewed earlier at the same event in New York. The boss of the entertainment giant justified, on this occasion, the group’s decision. Be associated with this tweet « was not for us », Estimated Bob Iger. “ I hope they stop » to buy promotional space on the social network, he proclaimed to the advertisers who are now withdrawn. “ Don’t advertise “, he told them.
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« It was stupid of me »
« I’m sorry for this message “, declared Elon Musk, regarding his publication accused of anti-Semitism. “ It was stupid of me “, he continued. “ Among the 30,000 (posts published by the contractor), this is perhaps the worst and stupidest I have ever posted “. In this message, Elon Musk replied: “ You told the exact truth » to a tweet claiming that Jewish people encouraged “ hatred once morest white people ».
Highly criticized, even at the White House, for this controversial tweet, Elon Musk went to Israel at the beginning of the week. He visited, in the company of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Kibbutz Kfar Aza, attacked on October 7 by fighters from the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. “ I am not anti-Semitic “, he insisted. “ I’m more of a philo-Semite “. The Israeli president then reminded Elon Musk, “ huge role » that the billionaire has to play in the fight once morest hatred of Jews.
The boss of X and the giants Tesla and SpaceX then explained that he had experienced “ an emotionally difficult day: seeing the places where people were murdered. And also see the video where the murderers rejoice “, images ” extremely disturbing ».
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X in bad shape
A controversy that can cost the social network dearly. “ What will happen is that this boycott will kill the company “, warned Elon Musk, “ and the whole world will know that these advertisers killed the business “. Almost entirely dependent on , even though it recently launched paid plans, X was already in bad shape even before this new controversy. According to the firm Guideline, revenues from advertisers had already fallen by 54% between September 2022 and August 2023. According to documents consulted by the New York Timesthe recent wave of advertiser withdrawals might deprive the old Twitter of $75 million in turnover.
On Wednesday, Elon Musk suggested that he would not put his hand in his pocket to prevent the group, which he bought in October 2022, from going under. “ If the company fails because of an advertiser boycott, it will go bankrupt “, he insisted.
According to market data analysis company SensorTower, the number of monthly users of X is down 45% at the start of the fourth quarter compared to the same period of 2022. The majority shareholder defended the management of content on X, while many observers are warning of the increase in the proportion of hateful messages or disinformation since its takeover.
« It’s quite rare for hateful content to be highlighted », selon Elon Musk, « sIf you analyze the platform today compared to a year ago, I think it is much better ». « My aspiration is that the X platform is the best source of truth, or at least the one that is the least inaccurate “, he confided.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo leaves X, a “vast global sewer” according to her
The PS mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo announced Monday that she was deleting her account on the social network vast global sewer ” and one ” tool for destabilizing democracy “. Anne Hidalgo registered on Twitter in 2009. The account of the City of Paris, however, remains on X, the town hall told AFP.
« I made the decision to leave X. Far from being the revolutionary tool which, initially, allowed access to information for the greatest number of people, », She wrote in a column in Le Monde.
Since the takeover of Twitter by Elon Musk in October 2022, several personalities have announced their departure, including the American Gigi Hadid a month later, but there has been no massive movement. Several politicians have announced opening accounts on competing networks, including European Commissioner Thierry Breton for Bluesky, but without leaving X.
Some organizations, however, have taken the plunge, such as the American public radio network NPR, or recently the German agency once morest discrimination, as well as researchers and climate specialists whose activity on the social network has declined sharply, according to a study published in August.
(With AFP)
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