In reaction to contentious comments made by Elon Musk, Apple has chosen to pause all of its advertising on Social Network X, formerly known as Twitter, according to a recent event that was first reported by Axios. Considering Apple’s track record of supporting the social network despite setbacks, this move is significant.
Although a number of advertisers had left Twitter following Musk’s acquisition of X, Apple continued to be one of the company’s top ad partners. Back in March, Musk had thanked and expressed gratitude for Apple’s support, referring to the tech giant as one of Twitter’s “biggest advertisers.”
This isn’t the first time Apple has temporarily disabled its Twitter adverts. A similar action in November 2022 caused Musk to query if Apple supported “free speech” and to allege that Apple had threatened to remove Twitter from the App Store. Musk also hinted at the prospect of developing an alternate phone if Twitter were to be shut down.
The disagreement was supposedly settled after Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook met at Apple Park later that year. Musk stated that Apple’s decision to ban Twitter from the App Store was a “misunderstanding.” Following this discussion, Apple “fully resumed” advertising, with sources indicating an annual spend on Twitter advertisements surpassing $100 million.
But recent statements from Musk and proof that Social Network X is showing Apple advertisements next to controversial content have sparked concerns about Apple starting to advertise again. CEO Tim Cook stated in September that Apple is constantly assessing its social media advertising presence.
Apple’s decision to stop running advertisements on Twitter is not uncommon; the European Union has also opted not to run advertisements on the network, and IBM has also said that it would no longer be running any ads on Twitter. Musk’s remarks have been denounced by the White House, and X employees have said that other firms have called to voice their disapproval.
It’s unclear at this point if Apple will reevaluate its Social Network X advertising in the future. Tim Cook’s previous statement about constant evaluation suggests that Apple is actively monitoring its engagement with the social network amid the evolving circumstances.
