Apple and Musk are at odds over advertising on Twitter

Elon Musk has said Apple has ended the vast majority of its advertising on Twitter and accused the company of threatening to remove the social media platform from its app store. 

Due to concerns over Musk’s plans for the social media platform’s content moderation, numerous businesses have stopped spending money on Twitter.

Musk blames activists for massive drop in revenue

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has blamed activists for pressuring advertisers, claiming that Twitter has experienced a “massive” drop in revenue.

He wrote a series of tweets on Monday in which he accused Apple of “censorship” and criticised its policies, such as the fee it charges for app store purchases.

“Apple has mostly stopped using Twitter to advertise. Do they oppose free speech in the United States?” He asked. 

He tweeted Apple’s CEO, asking:  “What’s going on here @tim_cook?”

He also claimed, without specifying why that Apple had threatened to exclude Twitter from its app store.

Twitter takeover: Musk bought Twitter for $44bn

Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion last month, and is now under pressure because some businesses are cutting back on spending.

Musk wants to generate revenue by turning Twitter verification into a paid subscription service; however, at the moment, advertising accounts for the vast majority of the site’s revenue.

According to the Washington Post, Apple spent $48 million on Twitter ads in the first quarter of 2022, making it the top advertiser.