Major advertisers pause ads on Twitter due to backlash over Elon Musk’s antisemitic conspiracy theory. Warner Bros. and Sony are among other brands halting their spending. IBM cut off ads Thursday. Apple, Lionsgate, and Paramount Global all paused their ads Friday. Musk replied to an antisemitic post on Twitter, drawing scrutiny. The concept he appeared to endorse was embraced by Robert Bowers, who killed 11 worshipers in Pittsburgh in 2018. The White House condemned Musk’s statement. He lashed out at advertisers and threatened legal action against Media Matters. X defended itself, claiming only one of the posts flagged by Media Matters violated its content rules. Media Matters plans to defend against litigation. Ryan Mac contributed reporting.
