X is now suing advertisers who fled the platform amid concerns over hate speech. The antitrust lawsuit filed against the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) and several members, including Mars, Unilever, and CVS Health, was announced by CEO Linda Yaccarino. Yaccarino stated that the group engaged in an “illegal boycott” of X to deprive its users of the Global Town Square. GARM, a part of the World Federation of Advertisers, was created to establish brand safety guidelines for online advertisers. The lawsuit alleges that the group conspired to withhold billions in advertising revenue from X. This isn’t the first time X has filed a lawsuit against groups accused of stoking an advertiser exodus. Elon Musk, the CEO, made it clear that after unsuccessfully trying to resolve the issue diplomatically for two years, it’s now war.
