by The computer manufacturer IBM stops Advertising on Elon Musk’s online platform X after the company’s ads were placed there next to Nazi posts. IBM does not tolerate hate speech and is investigating the “completely unacceptable situation,” a spokesperson said. The computer company originally wanted to spend about $1 million on X in the last quarter, like this New York Times citing the platform’s internal messages reported.
A few hours earlier the organization Media Matters had shown how advertisements from IBM, Apple and the software company Oracle, among others, appeared on X, along with posts with positive statements regarding Adolf Hitler and the ideology of the National Socialists emerged.
Companies have little influence on exactly which posts will be placed next to their advertising. Ads tend to be shown to target age groups, specific areas or user interests. To avoid a negative environment for their brands, advertisers primarily rely on X to consistently keep hate speech off the platform.
Other online services have also had similar problems with their advertising clients in the past, for example Google’s YouTube video platform. Then they tightened content control to win back advertising customers.
X’s advertising revenue fell by half
From Musk a year ago X, then under the name Twitter, purchased, many companies are worried about their ads and stay away from the platform or limit their spending. Musk has said several times that ad revenue is only about half what it was in the Twitter era. X boss Linda Yaccarino, appointed by Musk, promised advertisers a safe environment.
Musk represents the political views of the American right and has accused Twitter’s former leadership of suppressing them. He promised greater freedom of speech: all statements that do not violate the law should be allowed. At the same time, his firing actions had a major impact on the Twitter teams that were supposed to ensure the deletion of hate speech.
The owner of X himself caused a new controversy: he supported a post that spread an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. It was said, among other things, that “anti-white hatred” was being spread by Jews. On Wednesday, Musk wrote under the post that it contained the “real truth.”
Musk then added that he was referring to “certain groups” such as the Jewish organization Anti-Defamation League (ADL) that “actually spread anti-white racism and anti-Asian racism.” In further statements, Musk reiterated that, in his opinion, there is a problem with anti-white racism. The billionaire’s pro-Russian statements and posts about the war between Israel and Hamas also sparked further controversy.
Musk has more than 160 million followers on X. After previous criticism, he said he has no anti-Semitic views. Yaccarino wrote in X on Thursday that discrimination on all sides must end.
The computer manufacturer IBM stops Advertising on Elon Musk’s online platform X after the company’s ads were placed there next to Nazi posts. IBM does not tolerate hate speech and is investigating the “completely unacceptable situation,” a spokesperson said. The computer company originally wanted to spend about $1 million on X in the last quarter, like this New York Times citing the platform’s internal messages reported.
A few hours earlier the organization Media Matters had shown how advertisements from IBM, Apple and the software company Oracle, among others, appeared on X, along with posts with positive statements regarding Adolf Hitler and the ideology of the National Socialists emerged.
