Communications system X initiated legal action on Monday against media regulator group Media Matters, alleging defamation following the release of information suggesting that ads for prominent brands were displayed alongside content denigrating Nazism.
Following Media Matters’ statement on Thursday, which led IBM, Comcast, and other advertisers to pull their ads from the platform in response, X, formerly known as Twitter, has faced escalating backlash.
In response, Musk declared on Saturday that X might pursue legal action against Media Matters and other parties involved in what he described as a deceitful assault on the company, hinting at a “thermonuclear” lawsuit.
Since Musk’s acquisition of Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022, a continuous exodus of advertisers has occurred, concerned about his controversial posts and the dismissal of staff members involved in content moderation.
Although some advertisers had already paused their investments following the report’s publication, X’s CEO Linda Yaccarino reassured employees on Sunday that the company had been transparent about its efforts to combat antisemitism and discrimination.
Media Matters President Angelo Carusone refuted X’s claims that they had implemented safeguards to prevent ads from appearing alongside harmful content, stating in a Reuters interview on Monday that their findings contradicted X’s assertions.
Carusone highlighted that there were numerous ads alongside light nationalist content, indicating that the purported protective measures were ineffective.
