- Elon Musk mentioned his social media posts could have harmed X’s monetary standing.
- Musk made the feedback throughout a deposition for a lawsuit involving one among his posts on X.
- Since Musk’s takeover, X has confronted backlash over his posts and moderation insurance policies, resulting in an advertiser exodus.
Elon Musk admitted his posts on social media might need had a adverse impression on X’s backside line.
In a deposition for a lawsuit in opposition to the billionaire, Musk addressed issues about his posting habits on X.
“I’ll have completed extra to financially impair the corporate than to assist it, however I definitely I — I don’t information my posts by what’s financially useful however what I imagine is fascinating or necessary or entertaining to the general public,” Musk mentioned in a deposition that was launched on Monday.
Musk’s feedback have been in response to a query from an legal professional concerning his use of X and a quote from Walter Isaacson’s biography of the Tesla CEO during which the creator quoted Musk as saying: “I’ve shot myself within the foot so typically, I ought to purchase some Kevlar boots.”
In response Musk mentioned he is “responsible of many self-inflicted wounds.”
Since Musk purchased Twitter in 2022, the corporate has reportedly misplaced lots of its greatest advertisers and Musk has confronted criticism for a few of his posts on the location, together with one the place he boosted a submit selling the “nice alternative” conspiracy principle that’s generally unfold by white supremacists. The platform additionally reportedly noticed a surge in hate speech and antisemitism after Musk’s takeover, and has reinstated a number of accounts beforehand banned for violating the corporate’s insurance policies.
There are additionally indicators that traders could view X as having decreased in worth since Musk’s buy. Constancy as soon as once more lowered the worth of its stake in Musk’s social-media firm in February — suggesting its valuation of X has dropped 73% since Musk purchased the platform for $44 billion.
It is not the primary time Musk has mirrored on his posting habits. Final yr, Musk mentioned he ought to in all probability cease posting on social media into the early morning hours.
“Have I shot myself within the foot a number of occasions? Sure,” Musk mentioned throughout an interview with BBC. “I feel I mustn’t tweet after 3:00 a.m. In case you’re gonna tweet one thing that perhaps is controversial, put it aside as a draft then take a look at it the following day, and see when you nonetheless need to tweet it,” he added.
Musk sat for the deposition on March 27. The billionaire was deposed over a lawsuit that alleges he boosted a conspiracy principle that falsely affiliated 22-year-old Ben Brody with a neo-Nazi group.
Brody filed the lawsuit final fall after Musk promoted posts on X that falsely recognized Brody as a person who had engaged in a brawl at a Satisfaction occasion that had occurred between the 2 far-right teams: the Rose Metropolis Nationalists and the Proud Boys. The teams had supposed to interrupt the LGBTQ+ occasion.
Brody is suing for $1 million in damages, accusing Musk of damaging his popularity. The 22-year-old mentioned he was doxxed, harassed, and even compelled to flee his residence at one level as a result of fallout from the posts on social media.
Musk didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
