Elon Musk's X sues major brands for boycotting the platform

Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) has broadened its lawsuit, accusing major brands of illegally boycotting the platform after his 2022 takeover. Initially filed in Texas against the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), CVS, and Twitch, the suit now includes Lego, Nestlé, Tyson Foods, Abbott Laboratories, Colgate-Palmolive, Pinterest, and Shell International, according to NPR.

X alleges the WFA, concerned about X's adherence to its Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) brand safety program, orchestrated a large-scale advertising pause. The lawsuit claims at least 18 GARM members halted or significantly reduced their X advertising in the U.S. and globally following Musk's acquisition, resulting in billions of dollars in lost revenue for X.

Musk's legal team asserts that social media platforms should determine their own brand safety standards, arguing that coordinated advertiser pressure disrupts competition and concentrates power within a few brands. The newly named companies have not yet commented.

Since Musk's takeover, X has undergone significant changes, including reinstating banned accounts, dismantling content moderation teams, and reducing staff focused on political interference and child exploitation, NPR reports. The WFA dissolved GARM last year, citing "misconceptions" about its role causing disruption and resource depletion.

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