The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has announced that it will resume advertising on X (formerly Twitter), the social media platform it previously criticized for allowing hate speech. In a statement released on Wednesday, the ADL expressed appreciation for X’s efforts to address anti-Semitism and hate on the platform, calling them “useful.” While acknowledging that more needs to be done, the ADL stated that it is prepared to resume advertising on X to spread its message on fighting hate to the platform’s users.
This announcement comes after a public dispute between the ADL and X’s owner, billionaire Elon Musk. Musk had threatened to sue the ADL for defamation, claiming that the organization’s allegations of anti-Semitism and hatemongering were baseless and damaging to X’s advertisers. In a thread posted on the platform, Musk stated that X’s ad revenue in the US had dropped by 60% due to pressure from the ADL.
Last month, the ADL’s CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, met with X CEO Linda Yaccarino to discuss the rampant hate speech on the platform since Musk’s acquisition. Under Musk’s leadership, X allowed deplatformed users, including former US President Donald Trump, to regain access to their accounts and resume posting. The ADL accused Musk of failing to enforce the platform’s content moderation policies.
Contrary to Greenblatt’s claims, X has actually increased its compliance with government censorship orders under Musk’s ownership. According to Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet Society, X has fully complied with 83% of content takedown requests since Musk’s acquisition, compared to 50% before.
The ADL has a track record of pressuring social media platforms to align with its ideological agenda. In 2020, the organization led the ‘Stop Hate for Profit’ campaign against Facebook, urging advertisers to boycott the platform until it strengthened its content restrictions. Recently, the ADL teamed up with PayPal to identify and deplatform users involved in hate speech and extremism, cutting off their access to financial support.
Musk responded to the ADL’s decision to resume advertising on X by thanking the organization for clarifying its support for advertising on the platform. He also expressed gratitude for the ADL purchasing advertising on X.
In conclusion, the ADL and X have resolved their dispute, with the ADL agreeing to resume advertising on the platform. While the ADL acknowledges the progress made by X in addressing hate speech, it emphasizes that more work needs to be done. Meanwhile, Musk appreciates the ADL’s support and advertising on X. This development marks a potential step forward in combating hate speech on social media platforms.
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