Musk's pitch for free speech may turn Twitter advertisers jittery

Advertising is Twitter's main source of revenue

Advertisers could be reluctant to spend on Twitter if Elon Musk pushes ahead with plans to promote unfettered speech on the social media platform, analysts said, after the world's richest person clinched a deal to buy the company for $44 billion.

Although Mr. Musk, a self-proclaimed free-speech absolutist, has not given details on how he plans to "improve and fix" Twitter, he has repeatedly called out the micro-blogging platform for not doing enough on free speech and criticized its content moderation policies.

Advertising is Twitter's main source of revenue, and analysts fear that unbridled free speech could spiral into misinformation and hate speech, potentially leading advertisers to dissociate themselves from the service.

Only about a 10th of the size of far larger social media platforms like Meta Platforms Inc's Facebook, Twitter has been credited with helping spawn the Arab Spring uprising and accused of playing a role in the storming of the U.S. Capitol.

"We expect advertisers will be less willing to spend on Twitter if [Mr.] Elon Musk removes content moderation in order to promote free speech," MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson said.

If Mr. Musk makes good on his promises, advertisers on Twitter may shift to platforms like Alphabet's Youtube, TikTok or other channels to build brand awareness, Mr. Nathanson said.

Mr. Musk, who has amassed more than 80 million followers since joining Twitter in 2009, has himself used the platform to make several announcements, including the one in 2018 about taking Tesla private that landed him in regulatory crosshairs.