https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/17/23965928/apple-x-ads-elon-musk-antisemitic-posts

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Apple pulls its ads from X after Musk's antisemitic posts

Apple pulls its ads from X after Musk's antisemitic posts

/

Big-spending advertisers like Apple, IBM, and Lionsgate have pulled
back from the platform after Elon Musk expressed support for
antisemitic posts.

By Richard Lawler, a senior editor following news across tech,
culture, policy, and entertainment. He joined The Verge in 2021 after
several years covering news at Engadget.

Nov 17, 2023, 8:56 PM UTC|

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An illustration of the Apple logo.
Illustration: The Verge

Apple has reportedly followed IBM by pulling advertising from X,
formerly Twitter, as the platform's owner Elon Musk made posts
agreeing with antisemitic conspiracy theories, supporting white
pride, and continued a fight with the Anti-Defamation League. The
nonprofit Media Matters highlighted his statements yesterday, as well
as advertisements from corporations that X placed next to pro-Nazi
and pro-Hitler content. When IBM froze its advertising on Thursday,
the company issued a statement to The Verge saying it would
investigate "this entirely unacceptable situation."

At least two other organizations have halted ads today, too.
Bloomberg reports Lionsgate "has suspended all advertising on X,
effective immediately," and Politico said that the European
Commission sent an internal message to leaders noting it has stopped
advertising there due to "widespread concerns relating to the spread
of disinformation."

Axios cites unnamed sources in a report that Apple is pausing
advertising on X. Sources tell The Verge's Alex Heath that Apple has
been one of the largest advertisers on the platform. It routinely
purchased ads promoting new products and bought custom "hashflag"
emoji animations for high-profile events that would change the
reaction of the like button on tagged posts.

In a September interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Apple CEO Tim Cook
addressed the company's continued relationship with X, saying "there
are some things about it I don't like," and calling antisemitism
abhorrent. He also said that Apple is constantly thinking about the
decision to advertise on X but, at that time, gave no hints about
plans to stop.

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More from this stream The entire story of Twitter / X under Elon Musk

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  * 
    Stay classy, Elon.

    Nov 9, 2023, 12:10 PM UTC

See all 593 stories
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