Elon Musk launches sweary attack on X advertisers who've left the platform
Billionaire Elon Musk isn't shy to speak his mind.
And he's had some choice words for advertisers who've paused spending on his social media platform X over concerns of antisemitism.
On Wednesday, speaking an event in New York, he apologised for a post from his own account that some considered antisemitic, and also accused companies who are boycotting advertising on X of 'trying to blackmail' him.
Advert
Companies and brands like Disney, Apple and IBM stopped advertising on X this month after a report by liberal advocacy group Media Matters said ads were appearing alongside pro-Nazi content and white nationalist posts.
Asked about the advertising boycott on stage at the The New York Times DealBook Summit, he did not mince his words.
"I don't want them to advertise," Musk said, adding: "If someone is going to blackmail me with advertising or money go f**k yourself".
He also appeared to reference Disney boss Bob Iger, who had appeared at the summit, saying: "Go. F**k. Yourself. Is that clear? Hey Bob, if you're in the audience, that's how I feel."
The SpaceX boss said that the advertising boycott is "going to kill the company", and BBC News reports he added: "The whole world will know those advertisers killed the company, and we will document it in great detail."
Earlier this week Musk visited Israel and toured a kibbutz which was attacked by Hamas militants.
He met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and also joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a tour of the Kfar Aza kibbutz, near the Gaza frontier, which was attacked by Hamas militants in early October.
X is suing Media Matters, saying the report it released would “drive advertisers from the platform and destroy X Corp.”
Media Matters has branded the lawsuit “frivolous", with the organisation’s president Angelo Carusone saying in a statement: "This is a frivolous lawsuit meant to bully X’s critics into silence."
October 27 marked the first anniversary of the billionaire’s $44 billion (£36 billion) takeover of social media giant, X.