X CEO Linda Yaccarino has tried to explain the social media service's positioning as a free speech platform after Elon Musk's "Go f*** yourself" outburst against boycotting advertisers at the DealBook summit.
What Happened: X is in trouble, and this time, Musk is making life difficult for Yaccarino, who tried to stress the social media platform's free speech ethos.
"Today @elonmusk gave a wide-ranging and candid interview at @dealbook 2023. He also offered an apology, an explanation and an explicit point of view about our position," Yaccarino said in a post on X.
She seems to agree with Musk in spirit when it comes to the advertiser boycott, saying that the "information independence" on X is "uncomfortable for some people." She did not elaborate on who these people are, though.
"Here's my perspective when it comes to advertising: X is standing at a unique and amazing intersection of Free Speech and Main Street," she said, continuing to pitch X as a free speech platform.
Yaccarino's statement comes in the backdrop of explosive statements during the New York Times' DealBook summit. While he apologized for his anti-Semitic comments, which endorsed a conspiracy theory, Musk was unrelenting on advertisers.
"I don't want them to advertise. If someone is going to blackmail me with advertising or money, go f**k yourself. Go. F**k. Yourself," he said.
He specifically mentioned Disney CEO Bob Iger, saying, "Hey Bob, if you're in the audience, that's how I feel." Iger spoke at the summit earlier.
Amongst all these, Apple's boycott should sting Musk the most, given that he has long been a fan of the company and its CEO Tim Cook defended the company's decision to continue advertising on X amidst the Anti-Defamation League controversy.
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