It comes as a coalition of several civil-rights groups said they plan to exert more pressure on Twitter advertisers to stop spending.
(Bloomberg) — Twitter Inc. removed a tweet from Ye for violating its terms of service as new owner Elon Musk comes under pressure from advertisers and civil-rights groups over the social-media firm’s content-moderation efforts.
Ye, the Black rapper and designer formerly known as Kanye West, had suggested in his tweet that calling someone antisemitic was a coded way of using a racial slur against African Americans.
Ye has become a lightning rod for criticism in recent weeks for his offensive comments about Jews. Adidas AG, Gap Inc. and Balenciaga have dropped their partnerships with the artist.
Ye’s tweet was taken down the same day that a coalition of several civil-rights groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP and Accountable Tech, said they plan exert more pressure on Twitter advertisers to stop buying ad space on the platform over concerns that Musk would relax its content-moderation policies. Volkswagen AG, General Motors Co.
and Pfizer Inc. are among companies that have announced a pause in advertising on Twitter.
Also read:
- Twitter Latest: Civil Rights Groups to Boost Advertiser Pressure
- Twitter’s Deep Job Cuts Begin; Musk Decries ‘Massive’ Sales Drop
Earlier on Friday, Musk said Twitter is going through a “massive drop in revenue” even though no changes have been made to its content-moderation policies.
Musk is a self-proclaimed free-speech absolutist who has previously indicated that he wants to change how the website regulates controversial content. He’s also said he would like to bring back divisive public figures, like former President Donald Trump, who have had their Twitter accounts banned indefinitely.
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