Advertisers are worried about the implications of easing content filtering on the site after Elon Musk was acquired. As worries about the site’s future under new owner Elon Musk grew, Balenciaga deleted its Twitter account, becoming the first big fashion company to do so.
Following Musk’s takeover of the firm in late October, major corporations like General Motors and Dyson have already halted their advertising efforts, while celebrities like Gigi Hadid have quit Twitter.
Some businesses and users are worried that Musk’s intentions for mass layoffs and his emphasis on fostering free speech would result in laxer content regulation on the website, making it more challenging for advertisers to avoid being associated with hate speech and false information.
The potential dangers of Musk’s approach were brought to light by an incident in September where adverts appeared on sites advocating connections to child pornography, as well as by a flurry of fake identities last week that were permitted to purchase “confirmed” labels on the site.
Even though Twitter’s influence on the fashion world has diminished recently, the Kering-owned Balenciaga brand has benefited greatly from its use as a source of online buzz. Creative director Demna has sparked debate with designs like oversized sportswear, sculptural couture, and divisive items like $1,790 leather trash bags and $950 Crocs. Up until recently, Balenciaga’s account had 950,000 followers.
The Paris-based company declined to comment on the decision but did acknowledge that its page had been deleted from the site.
