Elon Musk’s social media company, X, previously known as Twitter, has filed a lawsuit against Media Matters for America, a progressive advocacy group.
The lawsuit accuses Media Matters of distorting data to harm X’s reputation by alleging that the platform permitted antisemitic content next to advertisements.
This claim led several companies, including Apple, Disney, IBM, and Comcast, to halt advertising on X.
Media Matters recently reported that X hosted ads adjacent to posts promoting Nazism and antisemitism. Additionally, Musk himself faced accusations of spreading an antisemitic trope on X.
The lawsuit, lodged in Texas, contends that Media Matters intentionally created misleading images showing ads next to extremist content to drive advertisers away from X.
X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, claimed that the contentious content alongside ads from Comcast, Oracle, and IBM was exclusively seen by Media Matters and not by regular users.
Following these allegations, other companies like the European Commission and Warner Bros Discovery also withdrew their advertising.
Musk threatened a “thermonuclear” lawsuit against Media Matters and anyone involved in what he described as a fraudulent attack.
In response, Media Matters’ president, Angelo Carusone, insisted they would prevail in any legal battle, labeling Musk a bully who misuses lawsuits to suppress legitimate reporting.
Media Matters, established in 2004, is known for its critiques of conservative media and commentators.
Several major advertisers, including Apple, Disney, Comcast, Lionsgate Entertainment, and Paramount Global, initiated a mass exodus from the ‘X’ platform in response to a controversial post by Musk.
Musk’s tweet, which seemingly endorsed an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory, has sparked widespread criticism.
Non-profit organization Media Matters detailed the companies’ decision to suspend their advertisements on ‘X’.
A spokesperson for Lionsgate Entertainment, a film production and distribution company, stated that the company suspended its ads on ‘X’ due to Musk’s recent tweets that were perceived as anti-Semitic.
