In a video posted on Twitter/X, CEO Linda Yaccarino announced an antitrust lawsuit against the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) and the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) over what she calls a “systemic illegal boycott” of the platform.

She cites a July report from the \House Judiciary Committee titled, “GARM’s (Global Alliance for Responsible Media) Harm,” which alleges that “through GARM, large corporations, advertising agencies, and industry associations participated in boycotts and other coordinated action to demonetize platforms, podcasts, news outlets, and other content deemed disfavored by GARM and its members.”

In an open letter to advertisers, Yaccarino further explains: “The report disclosed that their investigation had found evidence of an illegal boycott against many companies, including X.”

The report found: “Evidence obtained by the Committee shows that GARM and its members directly organized boycotts and used other indirect tactics to target disfavored platforms, content creators, and news organizations in an effort to demonetize and, in effect, limit certain choices for consumers.”

“The consequence - perhaps the intent - of this boycott was to seek to deprive X’s users, be they sports fans, gamers, journalists, activists, parents or political and corporate leaders, of the Global Town Square,” Yaccarino wrote.

  • doctortofu@reddthat.com
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    4 months ago

    “Illegal boycott” - what a fantastic concept! What’s next, Starbucks suing everyone who doesn’t buy at least one overpriced frappucino per day for “illegal boycott”? Am I allowed to not buy McDonald’s burgers because I don’t like them, or is that an “illegal boycott” too? The possibilities are endless!

    • LovstuhagenOPM
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      4 months ago

      It actually does not apply to mass movements of citizens, but rather, to movements of businesses:

      An illegal boycott occurs when12: Two or more companies agree not to engage in business with another individual or company. Competitors work together to refuse to do business with targeted individuals or businesses. Such agreements may violate antitrust laws, especially if the group of competitors has market power.

      Generated from Bing AI.