Daily Caller reported that the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) is dissolving following a series of lawsuits from social media companies accusing it of censoring conservative content.
The lawsuits, filed by platforms like X and Rumble, allege that GARM colluded with advertisers to withhold monetization from certain platforms and content creators.
GARM, an advertising coalition established by the World Federation of Advertisers, announced on Thursday that it would be discontinuing its operations. This decision follows intense legal battles with social media giants X and Rumble.
X and Rumble accused GARM of orchestrating a scheme with advertisers to stifle conservative voices and limit monetization options for platforms they identified as "disfavored." These allegations were a major factor driving the decision to disband GARM.
The lawsuits claim that GARM’s actions amounted to collusion. In a report released by the House Judiciary Committee in July, GARM was described as having directly organized boycotts and utilized indirect tactics against platforms, content creators, and news organizations deemed unsuitable for advertisers.
GARM’s guidelines, which labeled sensitive social issues and hate speech as inappropriate for advertising, were at the center of these allegations. Platforms like The Daily Wire were blacklisted under categories such as "conspiracy theories." Moreover, GARM reportedly pressured Spotify and The Joe Rogan Experience over content related to COVID-19 vaccines, alleging misinformation.
The World Federation of Advertisers notified its employees about the decision to dissolve GARM, describing it as a difficult but necessary action. In a statement issued on Friday, GARM expressed that the allegations against it had misconstrued its purpose and significantly drained its resources and finances.
“GARM is a small, not-for-profit initiative, and recent allegations that underestimate its purpose and activities have caused a distraction and significantly drained its resources and finances," GARM stated. "Therefore, GARM is making the difficult decision to discontinue its activities."
The lawsuit filed by X in Texas claimed that GARM members collectively withheld billions of dollars in advertising revenue from the platform. X CEO Linda Yaccarino emphasized the platform’s efforts to provide a safe and efficient advertising environment, criticizing the practices that led to the legal disputes. Linda Yaccarino commented:
We have proven our platform provides advertisers a way to showcase their brands and reach their target audiences safely, efficiently and effectively. The unfortunate reality is that despite all our efforts, hundreds of meetings and research to the contrary, many companies chose to dismiss the facts. To those who broke the law, we say enough is enough.
Rumble’s lawsuit echoed similar sentiments, contending that GARM used arbitrary content standards to drive an advertiser boycott against the platform. “The brand safety standards set by advertisers and their ad agencies should succeed or fail in the marketplace on their own merits and not through the coercive exercise of market power,” the lawsuit stated.
Rumble further alleged that GARM’s actions were detrimental, not just to platforms and content creators, but also to its own advertiser clients, who paid higher rates for ads because of the collusion. The lawsuit emphasized that this illegal activity came at the expense of multiple stakeholders.
GARM members faced backlash internally as well. A member reportedly expressed disdain for conservative news outlets, referring to their ideologies as “bullshit.” The member observed these outlets closely to catch them crossing the lines set by GARM's standards, further fueling the legal contentions.
In summary, GARM’s dissolution marks a significant turn in the ongoing battle over content censorship and advertising standards. The lawsuits from X and Rumble that drove this decision highlight the complexities and challenges faced in navigating the intersection of digital media, free speech, and responsible ad placement.
