In a recent controversial development you might have missed, Elon Musk has announced that X, formerly known as Twitter, intends to initiate a defamation lawsuit against the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Musk has accused the ADL, an organization dedicated to combatting antisemitism, extremism, and bigotry, of unjustly labeling him and X as antisemitic.
On Monday, the billionaire celebrity tweeted, “To clear our platform’s name regarding allegations of anti-Semitism, it appears we have no recourse but to file a defamation lawsuit against the Anti-Defamation League… the irony!”
Musk also attributed X’s declining U.S. advertising revenue to the ADL, stating, “Our U.S. advertising revenue is still down 60%, primarily due to pressure on advertisers by @ADL (according to what advertisers tell us), so they nearly succeeded in crippling X/Twitter!”
Musk initially asserted his support for free speech but voiced opposition to any form of antisemitism. However, this series of tweets followed Musk’s endorsement of the hashtag #BanTheADL, which was trending on X the previous week. This trend and Musk’s engagement with it coincided with the ADL’s announcement of a constructive conversation with X CEO Linda Yaccarino regarding combating hate speech on the platform.
Musk tweeted on Monday, “Since the acquisition, The @ADL has been trying to undermine this platform by falsely accusing it and me of being antisemitic. If this continues, we will have no choice but to file a defamation suit against, ironically, the ‘Anti-Defamation’ League.”
It’s important to note that antisemitism has been a longstanding issue on Twitter predating Musk’s involvement. In 2016, the ADL released a report documenting the rise of antisemitic hate speech targeting journalists on the platform, partly linked to the rhetoric of the 2016 presidential election.
Since Musk acquired the platform, reports of hate speech have continued. In January, a lawsuit in Germany accused the platform of mishandling Holocaust denial, a crime in that country. Four months later, Germany indicated its intent to fine the social media platform for repeatedly failing to comply with laws regarding the removal of hate speech from social media.
Musk himself has faced allegations of invoking antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories, including targeting Jewish billionaire George Soros and engaging with antisemitic content on X. For instance, in June, Musk boosted an antisemitic tweet that presented a choice between using blood from children (associated with a photo of U.S. President Joe Biden) or hating Jews (linked to a picture of actor Mel Gibson, known for making antisemitic comments in the past). Musk’s response was, “Gibson is really that buff these days?” While not hate speech in itself, this incident exemplifies Musk’s willingness to engage directly with antisemitic posts on his platform. The tweet has since been deleted.
In early August, X also filed a lawsuit against the British nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) after the organization published a report alleging that Twitter failed to take action on 99% of hate posts by Twitter Blue users. The CCDH also questioned whether Twitter’s algorithm promoted “toxic tweets.” X accused the CCDH of unlawfully accessing data and selectively choosing posts to demonstrate an increase in hate speech on the platform.
Regarding the blame for the decline in ad revenue, Musk attributed it to the ADL’s influence on advertisers. X’s U.S. ad revenue for a five-week period from April 1, 2023, to the first week of May was reported at $88 million, a 59% drop from the previous year, according to a New York Times report. While some of this decrease can be attributed to economic factors and cost-cutting measures implemented by Musk, the platform also carries significant debt from Musk’s acquisition of the company. Given that fiscal quarters are typically 13 weeks, the $88 million U.S. advertising revenue for the second quarter of 2023 suggests that the platform’s domestic ad earnings may not be sufficient to cover its debt interest payments.
Is it fair to attribute all of X’s challenges to the ADL? Not entirely. By positioning itself as a bastion of “free speech,” X may have inadvertently become a platform where content contrary to brand safety guidelines surfaces more frequently. This, combined with the platform owner’s penchant for engaging in trolling and provocative behavior, sets an example that may deter both advertisers and users seeking a more responsible online environment. Mere declarations against antisemitism may not be sufficient; stakeholders will likely seek concrete actions to address these issues.
