Growing Momentum in X Advertising Boycott Amid Controversy Surrounding Antisemitism

Major companies such as Apple, Disney, Comcast, Warner Brothers Discovery, and Paramount are joining an advertising boycott against social media platform X, which was previously known as Twitter. This boycott was sparked by concerns over the platform's alleged promotion of antisemitism. IBM was the first company to halt its advertising on X, and they were later followed by the European Commission and movie studio Lionsgate. The decision was made after a media watchdog flagged ads appearing next to pro-Nazi content on X. Owner Elon Musk stated that X is dedicated to combating antisemitism and claims that the platform does not intentionally associate brands with such content. However, criticism intensified when Musk himself responded to an antisemitic conspiracy theory, calling it the "actual truth." The boycott was further fueled by an investigation conducted by watchdog group Media Matters for America. Media Matters found that ads from the boycotting companies were displayed alongside posts that included Hitler quotes, praise of Nazis, and Holocaust denial. IBM stated that it found this association "completely unacceptable" and subsequently withdrew its advertising from the platform.