The Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) has temporarily suspended its operations after Elon Musk’s X filed an antitrust lawsuit alleging an illegal ad boycott aimed at the social media platform. The lawsuit, filed in Texas federal court, targets GARM, its parent organization, the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), and several major companies, accusing them of using their market power to suppress conservative voices on X.
The lawsuit names industry heavyweights like CVS Health, Mars, Orsted, and Unilever, which together control nearly 90% of global advertising. The suit claims that these companies used their influence to pressure advertisers into boycotting X, thereby limiting the platform’s revenue and silencing conservative perspectives.
This legal action comes in the wake of a GOP congressional report that exposed GARM’s significant control over the advertising industry. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) spearheaded the investigation, accusing GARM and the WFA of using their dominance to blacklist conservative media and stifle free speech by controlling the flow of advertising dollars. Jordan argued that this form of market manipulation poses a serious threat to democratic discourse.
X CEO Linda Yaccarino responded to the lawsuit, stressing the importance of maintaining a free and open marketplace of ideas. “This lawsuit is not just about seeking damages,” Yaccarino said. “It’s about addressing a system that allows illegal boycotts to stifle certain viewpoints and restrict free expression.”
In a statement released on Thursday, the WFA announced that it would suspend GARM’s operations while it prepares to contest the lawsuit in court. The organization described the suspension as a temporary measure necessary for reassessing its strategies in light of the legal challenges it faces.
