Elon Musk, the owner of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), has announced his intention to sue the Anti-Defamation League, accusing them of causing a significant decline in revenue due to allegations of anti-Semitism.
Musk alleges that the ADL made baseless complaints against him and his platform, scaring away advertisers.
In a statement on X, Musk expressed his decision: “To clear our platform’s name on the matter of anti-Semitism, it looks like we have no choice but to file a defamation lawsuit against the Anti-Defamation League… oh the irony!”
He further explained the impact of these allegations on X’s finances, stating, “Based on what we’ve heard from advertisers, ADL seems to be responsible for most of our revenue loss… [they] would potentially be on the hook for destroying half the value of the company, so roughly $22 billion.”
Musk clarified his stance, emphasizing, “I’m pro free speech, but against anti-Semitism of any kind.”
The ADL has long criticized X for amplifying anti-Semitic hate speech. In a 2016 report, the ADL highlighted a surge in anti-Semitic attacks against journalists on Twitter, partly attributed to rhetoric during the 2016 presidential campaign. The group accused the platform of failing to control its “trolling problem.”
Since Musk’s $44 billion takeover of Twitter last year, the ADL and the Center for Countering Digital Hate have claimed a sharp increase in problematic and racist speech on X. Musk previously sued the CCDH, alleging a smear campaign damaging the platform’s relationship with advertisers.
While a meeting between Twitter’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, and the ADL’s head, Jonathan Greenblatt, seemed productive, tensions escalated with the hashtag “#bantheADL” trending on Twitter after Musk liked and retweeted related posts.
The ADL, founded in 1913, has a history of combating hate speech against Jewish people and has previously joined calls for advertising boycotts on platforms like Facebook. Twitter and the ADL have not yet responded to requests for comment.
To clear our platform’s name on the matter of anti-Semitism, it looks like we have no choice but to file a defamation lawsuit against the Anti-Defamation League … oh the irony!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2023
