Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, is facing intense backlash after endorsing an antisemitic tweet on the social media platform X, which he purchased last year. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation and prompted some major advertisers to halt spending on X over concerns about hate speech.
Elon Musk Agrees With Antisemitic Post
The controversy began on November 16th when Elon Musk replied to a post accusing Jewish people of promoting hatred against white people while claiming they want people to stop using such hatred against them. “You have said the actual truth,” Elon Musk wrote in agreement.
The original tweet perpetuated the racist “great replacement” conspiracy theory that Jews are encouraging immigration to diminish white majorities in Western nations. This trope has been echoed by white supremacists and has inspired horrific acts of antisemitic violence.
In 2018, the shooter who killed 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh was motivated by this twisted theory. More recently, the white supremacist shooter who murdered 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket in 2022 also espoused the racist “replacement” ideology in his online writings.
By affirming this dangerous antisemitic narrative, Elon Musk provided a high-profile endorsement that experts say could inspire real-world harm by reinforcing hateful beliefs among extremists.
Backlash From Jewish Groups and Civil Rights Organizations
Elon Musk’s endorsement of the tweet immediately prompted sharp criticism from Jewish organizations, antisemitism watchdog groups, and civil rights advocates.
The American Jewish Committee called it “incredibly dangerous” to amplify such theories on a platform as prominent as X with over 230 million daily active users. The Anti-Defamation League warned that Elon Musk was using his powerful platform to “validate and promote antisemitic ideologies.”
The White House also weighed in, stating that promoting the conspiracy theory that motivated the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history was “unacceptable.” In a rare public rebuke, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said the promotion of such hateful views “in the strongest terms” a month after the attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, who is Jewish.
The CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt, said Elon Musk’s actions could have dire consequences at a time of surging antisemitism. He argued that regardless of intent, spreading inflammatory lies about Jewish people to over 100 million followers causes real harm.
Advertisers Hit Pause on X Spending
The incident quickly raised concerns among X advertisers that their ads could appear next to hateful, racist content.
On November 17th, IBM announced it has “suspended all advertising on X” as it investigates the situation. The pullback could cost X up to $1 million in lost ad revenue. IBM said it has “zero tolerance” for hate speech and discrimination.
Other companies are also said to be scrutinizing their X ad buys. Audi, Pfizer, and General Mills are among the brands reported to be apprehensive about their promotions appearing alongside extremist rhetoric and misinformation.
The pressure from advertisers come as X already lost $3.5 billion in ad revenue in 2022 after Elon Musk’s takeover and advertisers’ unease with the site’s uncertainty. Continued loss of ad dollars would be devastating for X’s business.
X Employees Try To Contain Fallout
Behind the scenes, X’s executives scrambled to mitigate the damage. CEO Lina Yaccarino told employees X is meant to be “a platform for everyone” and discrimination must stop. She shared a similar message publicly, though without directly addressing Elon Musk’s actions.
Employees fielded anxious calls from advertisers and raised worries internally about hate speech and Nazi rhetoric proliferating unchecked by X’s weakened trust and safety teams. Moderation staff has been slashed under Musk, who prefers a hands-off approach to content.
There are concerns that X lacks the resources and organizational will to curb harassment and extremism as Musk focuses on boosting user numbers at all costs.
Criticism Mounts Against Musk
Musk has faced growing accusations that he has enabled antisemitic hatred to spread on X through a hands-off moderation approach.
In May, he lashed out at Jewish philanthropist George Soros, a frequent target of antisemites, claiming he “wants to erode the very fabric of civilization.”
In September, he laughed off suggestions he had been “maligned” as antisemitic during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Musk has defended his commitment to free speech on X. But his latest endorsement of an overt antisemitic trope has stunned even some longtime critics.
They argue that regardless of his personal beliefs, amplifying such dangerous ideologies to over 100 million followers causes real harm. His tweet has already been seized upon by neo-Nazis and white nationalists praising Musk for spreading their messaging.
Concerns Over X’s Direction
The uproar over antisemitism is deepening worries that Musk’s stewardship is steering X into a haven for hate speech, misinformation and extremism.
Researchers say antisemitism surged on the platform after Musk’s takeover as conspiracy theorists and white nationalists returned under new permissive rules.
Moderation is disorganized after mass layoffs and resignations decimated X’s trust and safety teams. Accounts banned for abusive behavior have been reinstated, often with little transparency or explanation.
There are mounting calls for stronger guardrails to prevent X from devolving into a free-for-all of racism, harassment and incitements to violence. But Musk remains reluctant to police content, arguing that allowing all speech benefits public debate.
For activists, Musk’s nonchalant promotion of racist propaganda is further evidence that a platform with global reach requires diligent safeguards, not absolutist free speech.
The coming days will test whether this latest controversy, alarming X’s advertisers and alienating its users, leads Musk to reconsider his hands-off approach or cements the site’s reputation as a megaphone for bigotry.
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