A recent report by Business Insider revealed that the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) has decided to halt its activities due to financial limitations. The group, formed in 2019 by the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), was initially focused on promoting safety standards in social media platforms. However, their attention has now shifted towards fighting an antitrust lawsuit filed against them by X, a platform formerly known as Twitter.
The lawsuit from X is just one of the many legal actions initiated by Elon Musk, the controversial tech billionaire. Musk has been using lawsuits as a means to punish individuals and organizations that do not align with his views. Apart from targeting GARM, Musk has also sued competitors like OpenAI and non-profits like Media Matters in an attempt to silence them.
Interestingly, Elon Musk himself has been openly hostile towards advertisers in the past. In a previous interview, Musk expressed his disdain for advertising, stating, “I hope they stop. Don’t advertise.” This attitude towards advertising could have influenced the decision of advertisers to disassociate themselves from platforms under Musk’s control, such as Twitter.
The repercussions of X’s lawsuit have been significant, leading to the downfall of GARM and causing a decline in advertising revenue for platforms owned by Musk. The loss of revenue from advertising could be attributed to Musk’s unconventional approach to moderation and controversial posts, including those related to sensitive topics like “white pride.”
It is evident from X’s lawsuit and Musk’s other legal actions that there is a clear pattern of using expensive litigation to silence opposition. Those who oppose Musk or his platforms should be prepared to face costly legal battles. Despite the setback caused by the lawsuit, X recently announced its intention to rejoin GARM, signaling a potential reconciliation between the two parties.
Leave a Reply