Prominent entities like Disney, Apple, and Paramount have ceased advertising on the Twitter/X platform in the wake of Elon Musk’s alleged promotion of an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory.
This move comes as a response to reports of content surfacing alongside company ads and Musk himself endorsing an unfounded antisemitic conspiracy theory to his massive following of 163 million on Twitter/X.
As of Saturday morning, major companies including Disney, Comcast NBCUniversal, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, Paramount Global, and Apple have publicly declared the suspension of their ads on X. While NPR reached out to each company for confirmation, only Disney and Comcast NBCUniversal spokespeople acknowledged the reports.
ESPN, a subsidiary of Disney, took its protest a step further on college football Saturday. All ESPN-related Twitter accounts, including the influential SportsCenter account with 42 million followers, went silent as a symbolic gesture against Musk’s tweets. This blackout also extended to Disney’s other popular accounts such as Marvel and Star Wars.
ESPN’s MMA account last covered Bellator yesterday, and completely disregarded UFC Vegas 82 that aired earlier yesterday.
It’s worth noting that ESPN’s PR account remains active, and ESPN personalities can still tweet as usual. The extent and duration of ESPN and Disney’s protest on Twitter/X, specifically against Musk, remain unclear.
In a recent update, ESPN College Football tweeted for the first time on Saturday at 10 pm EST, breaking the silence to provide an update on Jordan Travis’ injury during the Florida State football game against North Alabama.
The decisive actions taken by major corporations underscore the growing concerns around responsible content on social media platforms and the impact such decisions can have on public discourse. As the situation unfolds, it raises questions about the role of corporations in holding individuals accountable for their online behavior.