Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X (formerly known as Twitter), continued her apology tour alongside Elon Musk in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
Yaccarino, a respected advertising executive, took the reins of X in May 2023. With Musk still at the helm, the company remains under his ownership and control, making it vital for Yaccarino to address and explain Musk’s controversial actions in public settings.
One notable example was Musk’s explosive interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin of the New York Times at the Dealbook conference in late November. During the interview, Musk responded fiercely to a growing list of advertisers pulling their support from the platform due to his supportive comment on an anti-Semitic tweet. He directed his anger towards Disney CEO Bob Iger, stating, “go f—yourself” as his response to advertisers threatening to pull out.
Yaccarino recently made a 15-minute stage appearance at an event connected to the CES tech trade show. The host, market and technology consultant Shelley Pamer, asked Yaccarino about the incident between Elon and Dealbook.
Yaccarino responded with candor, acknowledging the intensity of those moments. She emphasized the importance of understanding X’s vision, which shed light on Elon’s frustration. Yaccarino highlighted that X has been focused on building a global town square, safeguarding free speech worldwide, and consistently fostering innovation over the past year.
Musk Addresses Anti-Semitic Post
During the recent Dealbook event, Elon Musk addressed the response to an anti-Semitic post on the platform. Musk, who has publicly expressed regret about the incident, acknowledged that it was his top regret among his more than 30,000 posts.
At the same event, Musk also defended the platform against criticism from an activist group. This group had put pressure on advertisers to reconsider their support for the platform after reports emerged that ads were being displayed alongside inappropriate or offensive content.
In response to these claims, Musk and his team spent a significant amount of time debunking the story. While acknowledging the frustration surrounding these allegations, Musk emphasized the platform’s commitment to its core mission, putting principles ahead of profits.
The Challenge of Hate Speech
During a discussion with Sharon Palmer, a representative of a brand, about advertising on the platform, concerns were raised about the presence of hate speech and misinformation on the platform. Palmer questioned whether brands should risk their reputations by advertising on a platform with such content.
In response, Linda Yaccarino, an executive at X, highlighted the importance of addressing hate speech in today’s society. She stated that hate speech was a critical issue faced by every single platform. Yaccarino pointed out that X has taken significant steps to combat hate speech, including the removal of over 780,000 pieces of content and the suspension of more than 800,000 accounts since the war in Gaza began.
Yaccarino emphasized that protecting children and combating hate speech were among the most important subjects for the platform.
Leading Together
When asked if she was running the company, Yaccarino drew an analogy to Hollywood. She described herself as being part of the “scripted drama” category, while Musk led in the “unscripted” category. Yaccarino acknowledged her constant learning and growth in her role.
