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Washington D.C. – Accountable.US, the watchdog group behind the American Democracy Scorecard project that found 66 percent of Fortune 100 companies are failing to do their part to preserve democracy, challenged all corporations that claim to support democracy to pledge to permanently pull all advertising from Twitter should the company reinstate Donald Trump’s account. Trump was suspended following the violent January 6th insurrection after the twice-impeached, documented-serial-liar doubled down on what caused it: spreading toxic lies about the 2020 election results. Twitter has now been acquired by Elon Musk who “has said the decision to permanently ban Mr. Trump was wrong.” 

“

This is a make-or-break moment for any corporation that assured its customers, shareholders, and employees they’re on the right side in the fight to keep our democracy intact. No one on Earth has done more to sabotage and shatter trust in our democratic institutions than Donald Trump. This is someone that Congress concluded did everything in his power to instigate the deadly coup attempt at the U.S. Capitol that will forever be a scar on our nation’s history. With Musk-led Twitter poised to return the megaphone to Trump to do irreparable damage to our democracy, now is the time for corporations to draw the line and make clear no ad revenue of theirs will support Tump’s destructive propaganda. Bottom line: companies willing to monetarily reward a super spreader of election misinformation are part of the problem and cannot honestly tell consumers they stand up for democracy.” 

Kyle Herrig, president of Accountable.US

Reportedly, a number of “blue chip” companies have already expressed concern about Trump’s return, while GM has already suspended its advertising on the platform. The sooner they make themselves known, the better.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: 

As Elon Musk’s Twitter Takeover Unfolds, His Pledge To Reinstate Former President Donald Trump’s Account On The Platform Has Prompted Concern From Major Advertisers — Some Threatening To Pause Or Discontinue Advertising On The Site.

 HEADLINE: “Elon Musk Says Twitter Won’t Be ‘Free-for-All Hellscape,’ Addressing Advertisers’ Concerns.” [Wall Street Journal, 10/28/22]

 In Spring 2022, Musk Announced He Would Reinstate Former President Donald Trump’s Twitter Account. “Mr. Musk said this spring that as owner of Twitter he would reinstate former President Donald Trump’s account, which the platform suspended indefinitely after linking Mr. Trump’s comments to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. [Wall Street Journal, 10/28/22]

 Global Head Of Partnerships At GroupM, A Leading Ad-Buying Agency That Represents Blue-Chip Brands, Said Trump’s Reinstatement To Twitter Would Be A Red Line For Some Brands. “Mr. Musk said this spring that as owner of Twitter he would reinstate former President Donald Trump’s account, which the platform suspended indefinitely after linking Mr. Trump’s comments to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. That would be a red line for some brands, said Kieley Taylor, global head of partnerships at GroupM, a leading ad-buying agency that represents blue-chip brands.” [Wall Street Journal, 10/28/22]

  • GroupM’s Global Head Of Partnerships Said About A Dozen Of The Company’s Clients  Told The Agency To Pause Their Ads On Twitter If Trump’s Account Is Reinstated. “About a dozen of GroupM’s clients, which own an array of well-known consumer brands, have told the agency to pause all their ads on Twitter if Mr. Trump’s account is reinstated, Ms. Taylor said.” [Wall Street Journal, 10/28/22]

 Since Elon Musk’s Takeover Of Twitter, Advertisers Have Expressed Concern About Musk’s “Plans To Soften Content Moderation.” “Madison Avenue isn’t sold on Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter Inc. Advertisers are concerned about the billionaire’s plans to soften content moderation and what they say are potential conflicts of interest in auto advertising, given that he is chief executive of Tesla Inc., say people familiar with the situation.” [Wall Street Journal, 10/28/22]

Managing Director Of Social Activation At Omnicom Media Group Robert Pearsall Said “There Are Significant Concerns About The Implications Of A Possible Change To Content Moderation Policy.” “Robert Pearsall, managing director of social activation at Omnicom Media Group, said Twitter has made agreements to improve its brand-safety controls to meet Omnicom’s standards, but it hasn’t introduced those changes to the market yet. ‘There are significant concerns about the implications of a possible change to content moderation policy,’ he said.” [Wall Street Journal, 10/28/22]

October 28, 2022: GM Temporarily Suspended Twitter Advertising After The Social Media Site Was Taken Over By Competitor Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

HEADLINE: “GM Temporarily Suspends Advertising On Twitter Following Elon Musk Takeover.” [CNBC, 10/28/22]

October 28, 2022: GM Temporarily Suspended Advertising On Twitter following Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s Takeover Of The Social Media Platform. “General Motors is suspending its advertising on Twitter following Elon Musk’s takeover of the social media platform, the company told CNBC on Friday. The Detroit automaker, a rival to Musk’s Tesla, said it is “pausing” advertising as it evaluates Twitter’s new direction. It will continue to use the platform to interact with customers but not pay for advertising, GM added.” [CNBC, 10/28/22]

  • GM “Was Among The First Automakers To Announce Billions Of Dollars In Spending To Better Compete Against Tesla Regarding Electric Vehicles.” “Under CEO Mary Barra, the Detroit company was among the first automakers to announce billions of dollars in spending to better compete against Tesla regarding electric vehicles.” [CNBC, 10/28/22]

 

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