In a startling turn of events, at least two major brands have decided to halt their advertising campaigns on the X platform, previously known as Twitter, after their advertisements were found to be displayed alongside content promoting fascism. The incident has raised concerns over the platform’s commitment to brand safety, casting a shadow over its recent efforts to lure advertisers back.
The controversy emerged less than a week after X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, publicly affirmed the company’s dedication to ensuring brand safety for advertisers. The nonprofit news watchdog Media Matters for America released a report on Wednesday, documenting the display of ads for several mainstream brands on an account that shared content celebrating Hitler and the Nazi Party.
According to CNN, ads for notable brands like Adobe, Gilead Sciences, the University of Maryland’s football team, New York University Langone Hospital, and NCTA—the Internet and Television Association were showcased alongside tweets from the said account. These tweets had accumulated hundreds of thousands of views, amplifying concerns over the placement of advertisements.
Spokespeople from NCTA and pharmaceutical giant Gilead have promptly responded by suspending their ad spending on X after CNN drew attention to their ads being associated with the pro-Nazi account. NCTA spokesperson Brian Dietz emphasized the organization’s serious approach to ad placement and expressed dismay over their content being placed next to profoundly disturbing material. Dietz also revealed that NCTA would not only suspend advertising on X but would also limit its organic presence on the platform in the future.
Similarly, Gilead announced that it would temporarily halt its ad spending on X while the platform investigates the issue. Jason Yellin, the associate athletic director of the University of Maryland, expressed concern about the football team’s post appearing on the controversial account, revealing that the team had not advertised on X since 2021. This suggests that the content may have been promoted without payment.
NYU Langone Hospital’s spokesperson voiced surprise and concern about their advertising being associated with objectionable content that promotes hatred. They highlighted their expectations for responsible actions from advertising partners.
As the controversy unfolded, the X platform remained silent, failing to respond to CNN’s request for comment. However, shortly after Media Matters’ report was published on Wednesday morning, and CNN observed additional brand ads on the contentious account, the account was suspended.
This issue has emerged at a delicate time for X, which has been endeavoring to regain the trust of advertisers following the upheaval caused by Elon Musk’s takeover of the company. His leadership prompted concerns about content moderation, layoffs, and the platform’s direction. Despite these challenges, Yaccarino, who took the helm in June amid the company’s rebranding, has indicated progress in attracting advertisers back to the platform.
The platform recently introduced additional brand safety controls for advertisers, including the ability to avoid having ads displayed alongside specific objectionable content. Yaccarino has stressed that the company’s policy prioritizes “freedom of speech, not freedom of reach,” and aims to shield brands from association with contentious content. The platform uses both human content moderators and automated software to determine ad placement.
However, Wednesday’s report from Media Matters shed light on the platform’s continued struggles to prevent ads from being showcased alongside objectionable material. The report also mentions instances of ads appearing next to Holocaust denial and white nationalist content.
While Yaccarino did not publicly address the specific ads placed near pro-Nazi content, she did announce the launch of “Sensitivity Settings” in the X Ads Manager, allowing advertisers to strike a balance between reach and suitability.
The incident underscores the ongoing challenges that social media platforms face in maintaining a safe and brand-friendly environment amidst a landscape of diverse and often controversial content. As X grapples with these issues, its efforts to rebuild advertiser confidence will likely face renewed scrutiny and demand further improvements in brand safety measures.