Elon Musk bought Twitter — now called X for some reason — almost two years ago. Since then, the billionaire, who calls himself a free speech absolutist, has restored many accounts that had been banned by the previous owner. He exposed social media companies’ collusion with the government to censor people and messages they didn’t like. And his ownership of the platform has driven all of the right people insane, which make the entire $44 billion price tag he paid a bargain.
But since the purchase, a lot of America’s biggest companies have pulled their ad dollars from X, seemingly for political reasons. Last month, X filed an anti-trust lawsuit against something called the World Federation of Advertisers, a cartel that had created an operation called the Global Alliance for Responsible Media. X asserts that the GARM member advertisers conspired to boycott X, withholding tens of millions in ad revenue.
So while Musk says X traffic has hit all-time highs, ad revenue has been a problem…for whatever reason. And that makes the platform’s policy on who can advertise even more curious.
Last week Musk, a frequent tweeter, opened on the importance of the Second Amendment as a protection for the First.
That’s when SIG SAUER chimed in. They’ve apparently tried to advertise on X, but have been turned away. Because guns.
We thought that given the fact that X is trying to broaden their advertiser base and SIG SAUER makes legal products sold through regulated dealers to lawful gun owners, it’s more than a little strange that the social media platform would deny them that ability.
It seems that SIG had appealed the X ad ban without any luck.
If you’re curious, this is X’s advertising policy regarding weapons and weapon accessories.
X’s advertising policy is exactly what you’d expect to find at Google, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube. But X bills itself as being different now that it’s owned by a free speech absolutist.
Free speech, of course, has nothing to do with advertising. Platforms like X can elect to carry ads from anyone they choose. But signing on advertisers has been a problem for the platform since Musk bought it, enough so that the company has sued to break up an apparent cartel of companies boycotting Musk’s platform.
As we noted above, SIG SAUER makes legal consumer products that are available for sale to responsible adults. Not unlike the Cheech and Chong gummies that are advertised ubiquitously on X. So what’s up, Elon? Why can’t a prominent, successful American company that wants to support your platform with its advertising dollars do that?
Why can’t gun companies advertise on X. I thought X was a free speech platform. Please tell us why they aren’t allowed to advertise their legal products on X
Who has a line on contacting Musk directly, perhaps Mr. Taylor with his contacts with the Texas governor and state government generally?
And if they prohibit international advertising, why not allow it in USA based ISPs?
That’s a bunch of B.S. Here’s what happened to me me last month. I got kicked of Facebook, tweeter, instagram, and twich. because i violated there firearm policies by entering sweepstakes. Has any one else had this happen to them.
No, because I don’t use social media. Nor should anyone else because it is essentially digital poison.
“No, because I don’t use social media.”
You are aware the Shooting news weekly blog is a form of social media, don’t you? 😉
No, it’s an online publication with the ability to comment on articles. Just because some people treat it like Boomerbook sharing dumb videos and memes in said comments doesn’t make it social media.
Does Elon Musk qualify as a Hypocrite? I think I’ll steer clear from X
They have also banned me from posting on Nextdoor any sale discount from my firearms store. Which I was able to do years ago. They block me now