Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, recently made headlines for his profanity-laced attack on advertisers that have left the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). At an event in New York, Musk accused these companies of trying to blackmail him and warned that their actions would kill the platform. Some firms have paused advertising on X due to concerns over antisemitism, including a post from Musk himself. While Musk apologized for the post, it was his response to the advertising boycott that caused controversy.

During the New York Times’ DealBook Summit, Musk expressed his disdain for advertisers attempting to blackmail him with their money. He made it clear that he did not want these companies to advertise on X and told them to “go [expletive] yourself.” His comments were directed at Disney CEO Bob Iger, who had spoken at the summit earlier. Musk also stated that the advertising boycott could ultimately lead to the demise of X, and he vowed to document the advertisers’ role in killing the company.

X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, who was present at the event, later reposted Musk’s interview and expressed her perspective on advertising. She emphasized that X stands at the intersection of free speech and mainstream culture and that the X community is powerful and welcoming. It is unclear how effective Musk’s comments will be in bringing advertisers back to the platform, as many had already decided to spend their advertising dollars elsewhere.

This controversy is not the first for Musk and X. Previously, Musk had personally backed an antisemitic conspiracy theory, for which he apologized. The boycott, however, is not solely related to this incident. Advertisers had already been moving away from X, and the platform had seen a significant drop in ad revenue. A report by Media Matters, a liberal pressure group, claimed to have found evidence of ads being placed next to Nazi content on X. In response, X filed a lawsuit against Media Matters, accusing them of misrepresenting the platform’s user experience and undermining freedom of speech.

Overall, Musk’s comments have garnered attention, but it remains to be seen whether they will have any impact on bringing advertisers back to X. The platform heavily relies on ad revenue, and its financial situation is currently unclear since it is now a private company and no longer publishes quarterly reports. However, before Musk took over, advertising made up about 90% of Twitter’s revenue.

Original news source: Elon Musk says advertising boycott will kill X (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Have students read the article individually or in pairs. Then, ask them to write a brief summary of the article, highlighting the main points and key information. Encourage them to use their own words and to focus on the most important details.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Ask each group to discuss Elon Musk’s comments and the advertising boycott on X. Then, have each group create an opinion poll with questions related to the topic. Students should take turns asking and answering the questions within their groups. Afterward, have each group present their findings and discuss the different opinions.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Provide each student with a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Instruct them to draw a sketch representing Elon Musk’s comments and the advertising boycott on X. After they have finished, ask them to share their sketches with a partner and explain the meaning behind their drawings. Encourage students to use their imagination and creativity to express their thoughts visually.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board. Divide the class into two teams. One student from each team will come to the front of the class and choose a word from the list. They must then draw a picture on the board to represent the word, while their team tries to guess the word. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Repeat with different students and words until all the vocabulary words have been used.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Instruct each group to discuss the pros and cons of Elon Musk’s comments and the advertising boycott on X. Students should take turns presenting their arguments and providing supporting evidence. Encourage critical thinking and respectful discussion.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Elon Musk accuse advertisers on X of doing?
2. Why did some companies pause advertising on X?
3. Who did Elon Musk direct his comments at during the DealBook Summit?
4. How did X’s CEO respond to Musk’s comments?
5. What was one previous controversy involving Musk and X?
6. Why did advertisers already start moving away from X before the boycott?
7. What did a report by Media Matters claim to have found on X?
8. What percentage of Twitter’s revenue was made up of advertising before Musk took over X?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and (1)______, recently made headlines for his profanity-laced attack on advertisers that have left the social (2)______ platform X (formerly known as Twitter). At an (3)______ in New York, Musk accused these (4)______ of trying to blackmail him and warned that their actions would kill the platform. Some firms have paused advertising on X due to concerns over antisemitism, including a post from Musk himself. While Musk apologized for the post, it was his response to the advertising boycott that caused controversy.

During the New York Times’ DealBook Summit, Musk expressed his disdain for advertisers attempting to blackmail him with their money. He made it clear that he did not want these companies to advertise on X and told them to “go [expletive] yourself.” His comments were directed at Disney CEO Bob Iger, who had (5)______ at the summit earlier. Musk also (6)______ that the advertising boycott could ultimately lead to the demise of X, and he vowed to (7)______ the advertisers’ role in (8)______ the company.

X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, who was present at the event, later reposted Musk’s interview and expressed her perspective on advertising. She emphasized that X stands at the intersection of free speech and mainstream culture and that the X community is powerful and welcoming. It is unclear how effective Musk’s comments will be in bringing (9)______ back to the platform, as many had already decided to spend their advertising dollars elsewhere.

This controversy is not the (10)______ for Musk and X. Previously, Musk had personally backed an (11)______ conspiracy (12)______, for which he apologized. The boycott, however, is not solely related to this incident. Advertisers had already been moving away from X, and the platform had seen a significant drop in ad revenue. A report by Media Matters, a liberal pressure group, claimed to have found evidence of ads being placed next to Nazi (13)______ on X. In response, X filed a lawsuit against Media Matters, accusing them of misrepresenting the (14)______’s user experience and undermining freedom of speech.

Overall, Musk’s comments have (15)______ attention, but it remains to be seen whether they will have any impact on bringing advertisers back to X. The platform heavily relies on ad revenue, and its financial situation is currently unclear since it is now a private company and no longer publishes quarterly (16)______. However, before Musk took over, advertising made up about 90% of Twitter’s revenue.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. How do you feel about Elon Musk’s profanity-laced attack on advertisers?
2. Do you think advertisers have too much power over social media platforms? Why or why not?
3. How would you feel if you were an advertiser and Elon Musk told you to “go [expletive] yourself”?
4. What is the role of advertising in social media platforms like X? Do you think it is necessary?
5. How do you think the advertising boycott will affect the future of X?
6. Do you think Elon Musk’s comments will have any impact on bringing advertisers back to X? Why or why not?
7. How important is free speech on social media platforms? Should there be any limitations?
8. Have you ever experienced or witnessed advertising next to inappropriate or offensive content on social media? How did it make you feel?
9. What actions should social media platforms take to prevent ads from being placed next to offensive or inappropriate content?
10. How do you think the controversy surrounding Elon Musk and X will affect the public perception of these companies?
11. What steps should advertisers take to ensure their ads are not associated with offensive or inappropriate content?
12. Do you think the advertising boycott is an effective way to address concerns over antisemitism on social media platforms? Why or why not?
13. How do you think social media platforms like X can balance the need for advertising revenue with the responsibility to prevent hate speech and offensive content?
14. What other measures could social media platforms implement to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for users and advertisers?
15. Do you think social media platforms have a responsibility to actively monitor and regulate the content that is posted on their platforms? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Musk
2. advertisers
3. X
4. boycott
5. platform
6. advertising
7. revenue
8. controversy

Meanings:
(a) The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX
(b) Income generated from business activities
(c) The social media platform formerly known as Twitter
(d) A refusal to buy or use a product or service
(e) A place or system for communication or expression
(f) A public disagreement or debate over an issue
(g) Companies that pay for promotional messages
(h) The act of promoting a product or service
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the social media platform formerly known as Twitter?
(a) X
(b) Facebook
(c) Instagram
(d) Snapchat

2. Why did some companies pause advertising on X?
(a) Concerns over privacy
(b) Concerns over fake news
(c) Concerns over antisemitism
(d) Concerns over cyberbullying

3. Who did Elon Musk direct his profanity-laced comments towards?
(a) X’s CEO Linda Yaccarino
(b) Disney CEO Bob Iger
(c) The advertisers themselves
(d) The New York Times’ DealBook Summit

4. What did Linda Yaccarino emphasize about the X community?
(a) That it is exclusive and closed-off
(b) That it is powerful and welcoming
(c) That it is divided and contentious
(d) That it is irrelevant and insignificant

5. What was the previous controversy involving Musk and X?
(a) Musk’s backing of an antisemitic conspiracy theory
(b) Musk’s lawsuit against Media Matters
(c) Musk’s profanity-laced attack on advertisers
(d) Musk’s apology for a post about antisemitism

6. What did Media Matters accuse X of?
(a) Misrepresenting the user experience
(b) Undermining freedom of speech
(c) Being a liberal pressure group
(d) Placing ads next to Nazi content

7. What percentage of Twitter’s revenue did advertising make up before Musk took over?
(a) About 90%
(b) About 50%
(c) About 75%
(d) About 25%

8. What is the current financial situation of X?
(a) Booming, with record-breaking profits
(b) Declining, with significant losses
(c) Stable, with consistent revenue growth
(d) Unclear, as it is now a private company

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Musk’s comments were directed at Disney CEO Bob Iger, who had not spoken at the summit earlier.
2. Elon Musk recently made headlines for his respectful critique of advertisers on the social media platform X.
3. It is clear how effective Musk’s comments will be in bringing advertisers back to the platform, as many had not already decided to spend their advertising dollars elsewhere.
4. X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, later ignored Musk’s interview and refrained from expressing her perspective on advertising.
5. Musk expressed his disdain for advertisers attempting to blackmail him with their money during the New York Times’ DealBook Summit.
6. Musk accused these companies of trying to blackmail him and warned that their actions would kill the platform.
7. Musk apologized for the post, but it was his response to the advertising boycott that caused controversy.
8. Some firms have paused advertising on X due to concerns over antisemitism, including a post from Musk himself.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What did Elon Musk accuse advertisers of doing to him and the social media platform X?
2. Who did Elon Musk direct his profanity-laced comments towards at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit?
3. How did X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, respond to Elon Musk’s comments?
4. What were some of the reasons why advertisers had already been moving away from X?
5. What is the current financial situation of X, and why is it unclear?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Elon Musk accused advertisers on X of trying to blackmail him.
2. Some companies paused advertising on X due to concerns over antisemitism, including a post from Musk himself.
3. Elon Musk directed his comments at Disney CEO Bob Iger during the DealBook Summit.
4. X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, reposted Musk’s interview and emphasized that X stands at the intersection of free speech and mainstream culture.
5. One previous controversy involving Musk and X was when Musk personally backed an antisemitic conspiracy theory.
6. Advertisers already started moving away from X before the boycott due to a significant drop in ad revenue.
7. A report by Media Matters claimed to have found evidence of ads being placed next to Nazi content on X.
8. Before Musk took over X, advertising made up about 90% of Twitter’s revenue.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) SpaceX
(2) media
(3) event
(4) companies
(5) spoken
(6) stated
(7) document
(8) killing
(9) advertisers
(10) first
(11) antisemitic
(12) theory
(13) content
(14) platform
(15) garnered
(16) reports
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Musk
Answer: (a) The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX

2. advertisers
Answer: (g) Companies that pay for promotional messages

3. X
Answer: (c) The social media platform formerly known as Twitter

4. boycott
Answer: (d) A refusal to buy or use a product or service

5. platform
Answer: (e) A place or system for communication or expression

6. advertising
Answer: (h) The act of promoting a product or service

7. revenue
Answer: (b) Income generated from business activities

8. controversy
Answer: (f) A public disagreement or debate over an issue
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the social media platform formerly known as Twitter?
Answer: (a) X

2. Why did some companies pause advertising on X?
Answer: (c) Concerns over antisemitism

3. Who did Elon Musk direct his profanity-laced comments towards?
Answer: (b) Disney CEO Bob Iger

4. What did Linda Yaccarino emphasize about the X community?
Answer: (b) That it is powerful and welcoming

5. What was the previous controversy involving Musk and X?
Answer: (c) Musk’s profanity-laced attack on advertisers

6. What did Media Matters accuse X of?
Answer: (d) Placing ads next to Nazi content

7. What percentage of Twitter’s revenue did advertising make up before Musk took over?
Answer: (a) About 90%

8. What is the current financial situation of X?
Answer: (d) Unclear, as it is now a private company
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Musk’s comments were directed at Disney CEO Bob Iger, who had not spoken at the summit earlier. (Answer: False)
2. Elon Musk recently made headlines for his respectful critique of advertisers on the social media platform X. (Answer: False)
3. It is clear how effective Musk’s comments will be in bringing advertisers back to the platform, as many had not already decided to spend their advertising dollars elsewhere. (Answer: False)
4. X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, later ignored Musk’s interview and refrained from expressing her perspective on advertising. (Answer: False)
5. Musk expressed his disdain for advertisers attempting to blackmail him with their money during the New York Times’ DealBook Summit. (Answer: True)
6. Musk accused these companies of trying to blackmail him and warned that their actions would kill the platform. (Answer: True)
7. Musk apologized for the post, but it was his response to the advertising boycott that caused controversy. (Answer: True)
8. Some firms have paused advertising on X due to concerns over antisemitism, including a post from Musk himself. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧