Unveiling the Unsettling: Exploring Elon Musk's Controversial Conduct

Elon Musk is currently facing an increasingly dire crisis.

Following his endorsement of an antisemitic post on his hate-filled platform, X, the billionaire conspiracy theorist is facing increasing pressure for further consequences against him.

However, Musk's priorities do not include issuing sincere apologies to the public for his offensive statements, nor assuring his advertisers that he values their concerns. Instead, he is preoccupied with threatening and seeking retribution against his critics.

At a critical point in time for the Musk-owned company, several questions arise regarding the current turmoil faced by X:

1. What actions has Musk taken regarding his lawsuit against Media Matters? Musk followed through on his threat by officially filing a lawsuit against the progressive media watchdog on Monday. This action came in response to a report published by Media Matters, revealing that X had placed advertisements next to neo-Nazi content. Interestingly, Musk's lawsuit inadvertently confirms the accuracy of the Media Matters report, as it acknowledges that X indeed ran ads alongside hateful content. This acknowledgment weakens Musk's complaint significantly. "This lawsuit contains numerous legal flaws, and it is quite ironic that a platform that prides itself on being a champion of free speech would initiate a baseless case that directly contradicts fundamental First Amendment principles and targets a critic's freedom of speech," stated First Amendment attorney Ted Boutrous. Additionally, Boutrous mentioned: "Media Matters is particularly delighted by this lawsuit, as it might enable them to utilize the litigation discovery process to compel X to disclose various embarrassing and detrimental private information that X would prefer to keep confidential." Angelo Carusone, the president of Media Matters, responded in a statement asserting: "This lawsuit is frivolous and serves as an attempt to intimidate X's critics into silence. Media Matters stands by its reporting and eagerly awaits a favorable outcome in court."

Why is X still advertising on the internet's most notorious white supremacist account? In October, a review by Reliable Sources revealed that X had placed ads for numerous major companies and organizations on the verified profile of VDARE, an openly racist, white supremacist outlet known for its extremely offensive content. Despite this discovery, X continues to display ads on this account even now, over a month later. In fact, during the Israel-Hamas conflict, I noticed that X had even featured an advertisement for the official @Israel account on VDARE, despite the fact that VDARE promotes reprehensible anti-Semitic content. How can this be considered acceptable when X claims to prioritize brand safety? I reached out to a representative from X to inquire about this matter, but unfortunately, they did not provide a response.

Will Linda Yaccarino remain with X? Marketing industry veteran Lou Paskalis, the founder and CEO of marketing consultancy AJL Advisory, confirmed to Clare Duffy and me on Monday that there has been a significant number of advertising executives urging Yaccarino to step down in order to salvage her reputation. Paskalis stated, "She believes she can transform Elon Musk into someone who commands respect within the advertising community, but that opportunity has passed. However, she won't leave her position without us all insisting that it's time for her to go. Many of us, myself included, have expressed the sentiment of 'save yourself.'" Yaccarino has indicated that she has no plans to leave at the moment. Will this stance change in the future?

How long will the NFL remain silent? Despite being one of X's top advertisers and media partners, the NFL has chosen to stay completely silent in the face of backlash against Musk for his antisemitic actions. Earlier this year, the NFL expressed concern after its ads were found to be appearing alongside content from racists, as reported by Media Matters. However, since then, the NFL has not uttered a single word, even as X continues to place ads for NFL teams on VDARE's account. I reached out to the NFL on Monday for comment but have not received a response.

Will news outlets continue to advertise? Despite Musk's endorsement of antisemitic views and attacks on the free press, several news organizations are still investing in advertising on his platform. On Monday, I noticed ads from The Washington Post and the Financial Times on the platform. Neither outlet responded to my request for comment. It is disheartening that the institutions meant to stand up against those in power are showing no interest in doing so in this case. However, there have been a few exceptions. Axios has temporarily halted advertising on X, according to a reliable source. Additionally, I have been informed that TechCrunch has also paused a small advertising budget. It is unclear whether The New York Times is continuing to advertise on X, as no spokesperson from The NYT has responded to inquiries regarding the matter.

When will newsrooms sever ties with X? It is astounding that certain news organizations continue to receive advertising dollars from Musk while simultaneously reporting on his disgraceful behavior and the proliferation of hate on his platform. Equally noteworthy is the number of journalists and newsrooms who still serve as part of the Musk machine, providing him with a veneer of credibility by constantly posting free content on X. As Casey Newton expressed to The WaPo, "X is not a reliable source for news, discussion, or entertainment. It's simply over. If you wouldn't join Gab, Parler, or Truth Social, there's no reason to be on X. I believe it's time for journalists and publishers, in particular, to recognize this new reality and disengage from that website." Newton stated that his publication, Platformer, will no longer contribute to X or share links to its content. We have also made a similar decision, removing the Reliable Sources brand from X in July and discontinuing links to their platform in early October. The endorsement of hate speech, conspiracy theories, and anti-media sentiment originates from the highest levels. Why offer tacit support by engaging with and promoting such a platform?