Rumble has joined forces with X (formerly known as Twitter) to file an antitrust lawsuit against Google and several major advertising agencies. The lawsuit alleges that these entities have conspired to withhold digital advertising revenue from Rumble and other platforms. The suit specifically targets the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) and its members, accusing them of creating arbitrary standards that led to an advertiser boycott.
This legal action is part of a broader effort to challenge what Rumble and X describe as anti-competitive practices in the digital advertising market.
BREAKING: Rumble is joining forces with X to sue Google and the cabal of advertising agencies that have been systemically keeping them out of the marketplace. pic.twitter.com/UObF2UknC1
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 6, 2024
🚨New: Elon Musk X has filed an antitrust lawsuit against the World Economic Forum-backed GARM which conspired to boycott the platform. pic.twitter.com/RsDXFDhUQ8
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) August 6, 2024
Correct…and I’m glad we’re all here. pic.twitter.com/oMSlINQlXa
— Liz Churchill (@liz_churchill10) August 6, 2024
BREAKING: Rumble has joined @X to sue a cartel of advertisers and ad agencies who conspired to block ad revenue from going to certain platforms and content creators.
GARM was a conspiracy to perpetrate an advertiser boycott of Rumble and others, and that's illegal. pic.twitter.com/7mnYkyoKuR
— Rumble 🏴☠️ (@rumblevideo) August 6, 2024
We tried being nice for 2 years and got nothing but empty words.
Now, it is war. t.co/MEzH0vqz0p
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 6, 2024
Elon Musk mentioned the RICO Act in this context because it is a powerful legal tool used to combat organized crime and conspiracies.
The RICO Act (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) allows for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. It is often used to target groups that engage in a pattern of illegal activity, such as fraud or conspiracy. By invoking the RICO Act, the plaintiffs are suggesting that the defendants engaged in a coordinated effort to harm their businesses, which could be seen as a form of racketeering.
This lawsuit is significant because it not only addresses antitrust concerns but also frames the alleged actions as part of a broader, organized scheme to unfairly limit competition and control the digital advertising market.
Sources:
finance.yahoo.com/news/rumble-joins-x-sue-advertising-153100567.html
www.foxbusiness.com/markets/elon-musks-x-files-antitrust-lawsuit-against-worldwide-advertising-group