Elon Musk declared on Saturday that X intends to pursue a formidable lawsuit, a "thermonuclear" legal action against Media Matters and all parties involved in what he deems a deceitful assault on his company. This statement follows major advertisers such as Apple, Disney, Warner Bros, IBM, and others pausing or halting their advertising on the platform due to allegations of promoting antisemitism.
Media Matters' report suggested that as Elon Musk delves into white nationalist and antisemitic theories, X's social media platform has been displaying ads for significant brands alongside content supportive of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, leading to the advertising pause from prominent companies.
Musk, the billionaire owner of X, publicly announced the impending legal action: "The moment court opens on Monday, X Corp will initiate a severe lawsuit against Media Matters and ALL individuals involved in this deceptive attack on our company." He emphasized that this lawsuit would encompass not only Media Matters but also their board, donors, and the network of individuals supporting the attack.
In addition to this announcement, Musk shared a letter defending his company while condemning the report from Media Matters and traditional media outlets.
The letter highlighted X's unwavering stance and the attacks faced from activist groups like Media Matters and legacy media entities. Musk's letter suggested that these groups aimed to undermine freedom of expression on the platform due to perceiving it as a threat to their ideological narratives and financial backing.
It alleged that these entities sought to influence and manipulate advertisers by creating alternate accounts, curating posts and advertising content to mislead advertisers about the placement of their ads on X's platform, impacting the company's revenue streams.
This legal action marks Musk's robust response to what he perceives as a deliberate and deceptive attempt to tarnish X's reputation and distort its advertising practices by external entities like Media Matters and legacy media outlets.
(With Agency Inputs)
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