ELON Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) has filed a lawsuit against several advertisers and major companies, accusing them of unlawfully agreeing to ‘boycott’ the platform. The claim, lodged in a Texas court, targets food giants Unilever and Mars, healthcare provider CVS Health, renewable energy firm Orsted, and the trade association World Federation of Advertisers (WFA). X alleges that this boycott has resulted in ‘billions of dollars’ in lost revenue.
This legal action comes amid growing criticism of Musk’s management of X, with the site recently criticised for failing to curb misinformation during riots in England.
The lawsuit claims that the advertisers, through the World Federation of Advertisers’ initiative known as the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), colluded in a manner that breached US antitrust laws.
Linda Yaccarino, X’s CEO, commented, ‘People are hurt when the marketplace of ideas is constricted. No small group of people should monopolise what gets monetised.’
Musk’s lawsuit highlights the ongoing tension between X and its advertisers, as well as broader concerns about corporate influence and free speech on digital platforms.
