Ad Group Suspends GARM
Overview of the Lawsuit
Last week, Elon Musk filed a lawsuit against the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM)—to put it succinctly, as CNN reporters Ramishah Maruf and Clare Duffy do in their article, “Elon Musk’s X just sued a nonprofit advertising group out of existence.”
The headlines of most major news articles on the matter provide very matter-of-fact titular statements that underscore political leanings. The New York Post, which the AllSides Media Bias Chart identifies as right-leaning (CNN is noted as left-leaning), titled their article by Thomas Barrabi, “Shadowy ad cabal GARM shuts down after Elon Musk’s X files antitrust suit over censorship.”
Key Takeaways:
GARM suspends operations following a lawsuit by Elon Musk's X.
Media bias plays a significant role in how this story is reported.
The lawsuit is part of a broader strategy by X to challenge organizations focused on combating online extremism.
The future of social media advertising on X remains uncertain, with significant implications for the digital landscape.
Media Bias in Reporting
Media bias makes it a whole lot more difficult to discern whose truth to trust. Yes, GARM will be ceasing operations after X’s lawsuit. Musk’s suit accused GARM of “coordinating with brands to dissuade them from spending money on the social media platform,” according to The New York Times, but what does this really mean?
The Impact of GARM's Shutdown
Indeed, GARM's shutdown is a direct result of the suit. Stephen Loerke, the chief executive of the World Federation of Advertisers (which runs GARM), told Business Insider that “this decision was not made lightly, but GARM is a not-for-profit organization, and its resources are limited.” Such limited resources cannot sustain the strain of this legal battle and its regular operations—makes sense.z
This has struck researchers investigating extremism, disinformation, and other hostile online content, especially in an election year (and a political landscape as polarized as that of the US). They say these lawsuits work to “amplify a coordinated right-wing campaign to paint their work as a deep-state conspiracy to censor free speech,” which has already had far-sweeping consequences.
Reaction from Politicians
Republican politicians and political commentators condoned the lawsuit and GARM’s subsequent collapse. For example, Russell Dye, a spokesman for the House Judiciary Committee (led by Representative Jim Jordan, Republican of Ohio), said, “This is a big win for the First Amendment, and a big win for Chairman Jordan’s oversight work.” In some ways, it is—or, at least, for the First Amendment’s principles as applied to right-wing and perhaps extremist commentary.
X's Legal Strategy
This follows a precedent set by X, which has attempted to sue multiple other organizations. In March 2024, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit that X filed against the Center for Countering Digital Hate “over its research documenting the rise of hate speech on the platform.” X also sued Media Matters over its research on ads alongside antisemitic posts late last year, the trial for which case is set for 2025.
The Future of Advertising on X
X is amid much legal action, most of which Musk initiated. This is about a war over disinformation, the winner of which is unnamed; we also don’t know if the 2024 presidential election will solve the ensuing conflict or if that will only be the beginning. What we do know, however, is that advertising on X is in an unstable state, and Musk’s jump into heavier political discourse on the app has merely contributed to the issue.
What This Means for Advertisers and Consumers
Currently, it seems consumers and advertisers need to remain vigilant in how they want their digital footprint to look. Whether you want to avoid the matter or get involved, read the news—preferably from across the political spectrum to understand perspectives other than your own better—and remember that social media advertising is at a crossroads, and it’s hard to tell the direction in which it will go.