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'They’ll be back in few days': Internet skeptical as Apple, Disney, IBM and more pull ads from X after Elon Musk's antisemitism controversy

Major technology and media companies have halted their advertisements on X

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: In response to Elon Musk's contentious remarks, a lineup of tech and media titans, including Apple, Disney, and IBM, have declared a halt to their advertisements on X (formerly Twitter), as per The Guardian.

Elon Musk's backing of antisemitic post on X sparked outrage

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, sparked outrage following his endorsement of an antisemitic post on the X social media platform.

His vocal agreement with a tweet accusing Jews of hating White people, affirming it as "the actual truth," stirred widespread condemnation, with the White House branding his remarks as "abhorrent."

Notably, over 150 rabbis joined in urging companies like Apple, Disney, Amazon, and Oracle to cease advertising on X in response to Musk's controversial tweets.

Major corporate players pause their advertisements on X

Apple, a colossal advertiser on the platform, had been allocating significant sums—up to $100 million annually—toward advertisements on X.

However, following Musk's acquisition of the platform in November 2022, Apple had already begun reducing its advertising presence.

This move was spurred by a Media Matters report indicating an alarming surge in hateful content, including tweets praising Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.

The consequent decline in user engagement, regulatory scrutiny, and internal morale within the company marked a downward spiral for the platform's business dynamics.

IBM, another prominent advertiser on X, swiftly followed suit in response to the same report that shed light on their advertisements being displayed alongside hate speech.

The company's immediate reaction was to suspend all advertising on X, emphasizing their "zero tolerance for hate speech and discrimination."

The ad exodus extended beyond Apple and IBM, encompassing several major players in the entertainment industry.

Film studio Lionsgate announced its decision to pause ads on X, closely followed by Warner Bros, Paramount, Sony Pictures, Comcast/NBCUniversal and Disney.

Online reactions reflect skepticism amid corporate actions

As major corporations announced the suspension of advertisements on X in response to Musk's controversial statements, online reactions reflected a pervasive skepticism regarding the longevity and impact of this ad pause.

On the platform itself, users expressed doubts about the sustained nature of the advertising hiatus.

One user cynically remarked, "Will all be back tomorrow the canoe is paddling backwards now."

Another user echoed this sentiment, commenting, "Pause. Until the next outrage. Then quietly resume smh."

Another user contributed to the skeptical discourse, stating, "They’ll be back in a few days." Meanwhile, another user highlighted the urgency for change, asserting, "Something needs to change."

Additionally, one user observed, "Haven’t seen an ad on X from any of the canceling companies. Doesn’t appear they had much impact."

Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X, attempted to navigate the fallout from Musk's controversial tweets by addressing the issue indirectly.

Yaccarino emphasized X's long-standing stance against discrimination in a statement, asserting, "X’s point of view has always been very clear that discrimination by everyone should STOP across the board."

However, notably absent from her statement was any direct reference to Musk's tweets or his role in the controversy, indicating a cautious approach to addressing the situation without directly confronting Musk's statements.