X, formerly known as Twitter, is ramping up its legal battle by adding big-name brands like Lego, Nestlé, and Pinterest to its antitrust lawsuit. The company claims these advertisers joined a "systematic illegal boycott" orchestrated by the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) and its now-defunct initiative, the Global Alliance of Responsible Media (GARM).

The lawsuit, first filed in August 2024, accuses the WFA of using GARM to pressure Twitter into complying with its brand safety standards. According to X, this campaign led to a significant drop in ad revenue, with at least 18 GARM-affiliated advertisers pulling their ads from the platform between November and December 2022.

In a recent update to the complaint, X expanded its list of defendants to include Nestlé, Abbott Laboratories, Colgate, Lego, Pinterest, Tyson Foods, and Shell. The company argues that these brands missed out on an opportunity to buy low-cost ads on a platform that meets or exceeds industry safety standards.

The lawsuit comes amid broader concerns about X’s financial health. Reports suggest that Elon Musk, the company’s owner, told employees earlier this year that user growth is stagnant and revenue is underwhelming, with the company barely breaking even.

As the legal drama unfolds, X maintains that most of its advertising revenue now comes from small- and medium-sized businesses, which are not affiliated with GARM. The case raises questions about the power dynamics in the advertising world and how platforms like X can recover from financial setbacks.

Stay tuned as this story develops, and share your thoughts in the comments!