DAccording to Twitter boss Elon Musk, the technology group Apple has threatened to no longer sell the app for the short message service via its online store. As part of a series of tweets aimed directly at Apple CEO Tim Cook, among others, Musk wrote on Monday, “Apple has also threatened to ban Twitter from its App Store, but won’t tell us why.”
Musk also said that Apple had largely stopped advertising on Twitter, and then rhetorically asked, “Do you hate freedom of speech in America?” The Tesla boss further accused the iPhone and Mac maker of pressure to control exercise of content.
From $220,000 to $131,000
A statement from Apple was initially not available. The Group regularly enforces the implementation of its rules for content. This has led, for example, to the online removal of the apps Gab and Parler, which are popular with conservatives in the USA. Parler returned after the makers said they had adjusted the content and revised the control structures. Apple spent $131,600 on advertising on Twitter between November 10 and 16, up from $220,800 between October 16 and October 22, the week before Musk completed the purchase of Twitter, according to advertising research firm Pathmatics.
Since the $44 billion acquisition, a slew of companies from Audi of America to General Mills have either stopped or stopped advertising on Twitter. The platform has suffered a massive drop in revenue, 90 percent of which is driven by advertising, according to Musk. The billionaire blamed activists who had exerted pressure.
Musk describes himself as a champion of freedom of speech. In the past few days, among other things, he has lifted the Twitter ban on former President Donald Trump. Civil rights groups then called on advertisers to stay away from the service.
Musk has also eliminated thousands of jobs at Twitter since the acquisition, raising concerns that the platform will be unable to combat hate speech and misinformation. A new approach to account verification also opened the door to trolls posing as big brands and also Musk himself.
