Elon Musk’s free speech lawsuit against advertisers is about silencing his opponents

Last year, academic researchers studying disinformation said their research was being hobbled by an increasing number of resource-draining legal requests led by Jordan and other Republicans. In May, the nonprofit media watchdog Media Matters laid off more than a dozen staffers, a move it said was forced in part by legal fees related to X’s “thermonuclear” — in Musk’s words — defamation suit filed against the company last year. That case is set to go to trial in 2025.

Advertising experts expressed concern that X’s suit and the House Committee investigation before it would further hinder GARM, and the added scrutiny would make it more difficult to get similar initiatives off the ground in the future.

“It definitely has an impact in making many industry participants more cautious about dipping their toes into certain waters,” said Brian Wieser, a longtime industry analyst and principal of the Madison and Wall advisory and consulting firm.

In a highly charged environment, where so many topics can become political hot potatoes, marketers may need to accept that voluminous backlash over their media choices or the possibility of getting hauled in front of Congress are now simply a cost of doing business. But that shouldn’t make them back down on their values, Wieser said.

“It’s actually inconsistency and a lack of conviction that will kill a brand,” Wieser added.