With Elon Musk’s “Thermoneuclear Lawsuit” Over Antisemitism Charge Still MIA, X/Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino Howls At “Detractors And Fabricated Distractions”
20.11.2023 - 18:56
/ deadline.com
Despite Elon Musk’s vow to file a “thermonuclear lawsuit” against Media Matters the “split second” that courts opened today, the X/Twitter owner’s legal action has yet to materialize.
Meanwhile, with a number of major advertisers on the sidelines over concerns about antisemitism on the platform, CEO Linda Yaccarino spoke out against “detractors and fabricated distractions.”
The top executive, who came to the tech company six months ago after lengthy stints running ad sales at NBCUniversal and Turner Broadcasting, is looking to repair the damage from Musk’s recent endorsement of an antisemitic post on X. Backlash to that move gained additional force thanks to a Media Matters report contending that multiple ad messages had appeared next to white supremacist and pro-Nazi content. As a result, Apple, IBM and major media companies including Disney, Comcast, Paramount and Lionsgate have all paused advertising on X. Yaccarino and Musk have disputed the organization’s claims, with the latter on Sunday calling accounts of him being antisemitic “bogus.”
In a post Monday morning, Yaccarino wrote, “What we’re doing at X matters and has everyone’s attention. I believe deeply in our vision, our team, and our community. I’m also deeply committed to the truth and there is no other team on earth working as hard as the teams at X. When you’re this consequential, there will be detractors and fabricated distractions, but we’re unwavering in our mission. Thank you for standing with us!”
The exec also sent an internal memo to employees, which characterized the situation as a battle over free speech.
“Our work is critical, but it’s not always easy,” she wrote. “What we’re doing matters, which means it naturally invites criticism from those