At least two prominent brands temporarily suspended their advertising on the X platform after their ads were found to have appeared on an account that openly supported Hitler and the Nazi ideology.
The X platform, formerly known as Twitter, faced scrutiny as the liberal watchdog group Media Matters for America exposed that ads from several companies had surfaced on an account named “New American Union.”
This account was known to share memes and content expressing sympathy towards Hitler and the Nazis.
Both Gilead Sciences and NCTA confirmed their temporary ad pauses, with NCTA expressing its concerns over its ad placement next to such disturbing content.
Brands Resume Advertising
Sources suggest that Gilead Sciences and NCTA resumed advertising on the X platform after receiving explanations from the social media company regarding the situation. However, NCTA contested this claim, asserting that their ad pause remained in effect.
The “New American Union” account has since been suspended, marking a response to the controversy surrounding its content.
Media Matters had identified brands such as the Atlanta Falcons, Major League Baseball, Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, Office Depot, Samsung, Gallup, and USA Today, among others, whose ads had appeared on the “New American Union” profile before its suspension.
NCTA spokesperson Brian Dietz expressed the organization’s commitment to brand safety and highlighted the importance of responsible ad placement, emphasizing their proactive approach to addressing the issue.
X’s Explanation and Action
X provided clarification to the brands whose ads had appeared on the controversial profile, indicating that the ads were not intentionally placed there. Instead, the ads appeared due to targeting algorithms that were following individual users who had migrated to the pro-Nazi account.
The company emphasized that brands do not specifically request to be associated with certain content and that ad placement is determined by user behavior and targeting mechanisms.
Platform’s Response and Strategy
X confirmed the suspension of the “New American Union” account, asserting that the account’s reach and impact were minimal, thus limiting the effect of any ad impressions that occurred.
Under the leadership of CEO Linda Yaccarino, X has aimed to regain advertiser trust and loyalty following Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform. The company has introduced a content moderation policy emphasizing “freedom of speech, not reach.”
