In a dramatic escalation of tensions between X (formerly known as Twitter) and major industry players, X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, has publicly denounced a purported illegal boycott orchestrated by the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) and its affiliates.
In an open letter released today, Yaccarino detailed X’s legal battle against GARM, the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), and prominent members such as CVS Health, Mars, Orsted, and Unilever.
Yaccarino’s revelation follows a scathing report from the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, which uncovered what it describes as a deliberate effort to undermine X by depriving it of advertising revenue.
The report alleges that GARM and its partners orchestrated a boycott aimed at demonetizing and restricting content on the platform, a move Yaccarino argues has significantly harmed both the platform and its diverse global user base.
“This boycott was not just an industry dispute; it was an assault on free expression and the global marketplace of ideas,” Yaccarino declared in her letter. “We are taking legal action to protect our users and restore integrity to our ecosystem.”
Since Yaccarino’s appointment as CEO in June 2023, X has experienced notable growth, with user engagement and video views reaching record highs despite the ongoing boycott.
August 2022 metrics show a 25% increase in active minutes spent on the platform, with video views surging 45% to 8.2 billion daily.
Despite these successes, Yaccarino emphasised that the boycott’s financial impact has been substantial.
“The illegal actions of these organizations have cost us billions of dollars,” she said. “We are determined to seek justice and correct a broken system that allows such conduct.”
The lawsuit filed by X seeks to hold accountable those involved in the alleged boycott and address systemic issues within the industry.
“Our fight is not only for damages but for a fair and transparent advertising ecosystem,” Yaccarino asserted.
“We will continue to innovate and defend our platform while the courts address these serious allegations.”
Yaccarino concluded her letter with a commitment to X’s mission of fostering vibrant global conversations and a call for support from all who believe in a free and open digital discourse.
“We will not stop defending our global town square,” she vowed.
X, formerly known as Twitter, is owned by X Corp, a company controlled by Elon Musk. Musk acquired Twitter in October 2022 through his company, X Holdings I, Inc., which later became X Corp.
The rebranding to X reflects Musk’s vision of transforming the platform into a multifunctional “everything app” that integrates social media, payments, and other services.
