The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is in settlement talks with major advertising firms to resolve an antitrust investigation into coordinated boycotts. The probe examines whether agencies illegally colluded to pull spending from media platforms, including Elon Musk’s X.
The investigation began last year after numerous advertisers paused spending on X. These firms cited concerns regarding brand safety and content moderation following Musk's acquisition of the platform.
Negotiations involve global advertising giants WPP, Publicis Groupe, and Dentsu. A potential settlement would require agencies to stop steering client budgets away from platforms based on political content. Individual advertisers would still maintain the discretion to choose where their ads appear. The talks are currently ongoing and may not lead to a final agreement.