X CEO Linda Yaccarino Responds to Elon Musk’s Explicit Comments
At the 2023 DealBook Summit in New York on Wednesday, X CEO Linda Yaccarino addressed the explicit comments made by the company’s owner and CTO, Elon Musk, in a candid interview with CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin. During the interview, Musk had stated, “If somebody’s going to try to blackmail me with advertising? Blackmail me with money? Go f—yourself. Go. F—. Yourself. Is that clear?”
Yaccarino described Musk’s comments as an “explicit point of view about our position.” In response, she took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and wrote, “We’re a platform that allows people to make their own decisions. And here’s my perspective when it comes to advertising: X is standing at a unique and amazing intersection of Free Speech and Main Street — and the X community is powerful and is here to welcome you. To our partners who believe in our meaningful work — Thank You.”
In the same candid interview, Musk also called out Disney’s CEO Bob Iger and said “Hi Bob!” This is not the first time Musk’s comments have stirred controversy. Earlier in November, Disney, Apple, IBM, Comcast, Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount Global, and Lions Gate Entertainment had pulled their ads from X after Musk supported an antisemitic tweet. This drew condemnation from The White House, which criticized Musk for promoting “antisemitic and racist hate.”
Yaccarino, who was appointed as X’s CEO following Musk’s takeover of the company in 2022, has been working towards bringing advertisers back to the platform. In August, she had stated that brands were returning to the platform and should feel comfortable placing ads.
Musk had apologized for his inflammatory comments and acknowledged that his agreement with an antisemitic conspiracy theory on the platform was “one of the most foolish if not the most foolish thing I’ve ever done.” Following the interview, X responded to CNBC’s request for comment with an automated response, while Disney, Apple, and IBM did not immediately respond.
In conclusion, X CEO Linda Yaccarino has taken a stand in response to Elon Musk’s controversial comments and is working to rebuild confidence in the platform among advertisers. With her strong leadership and commitment to meaningful work, she aims to create a welcoming and powerful community on X.
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