X announced that it will now permit political advertising from candidates and political parties in the United States and will expand its safety and elections team in preparation for the 2024 presidential election.
Before its acquisition by billionaire Elon Musk in October, Twitter had imposed a global ban on all political ads since 2019. However, in January, Twitter lifted this ban and began allowing “cause-based ads” in the United States, focusing on issues such as voter registration. It also expressed intentions to broaden the scope of political ads allowed on its platform.
This decision to allow all political ads in the United States could potentially boost X’s revenue, especially as many advertisers had pulled back or reduced spending on the platform due to concerns about their ads appearing alongside inappropriate content.
In a blog post released on Tuesday, X announced plans to expand its teams, particularly those focused on countering content manipulation and addressing “emerging threats.”
Global center
The company intends to establish a global advertising transparency center, which will enable users to view the political ads being promoted on the X platform. X also affirmed its commitment to prohibiting political ads that disseminate false information or aim to undermine public confidence in elections.
X, like other social media platforms, has faced criticism from researchers and lawmakers for not taking adequate measures to prevent the spread of misleading or false content during major elections.
Since its acquisition by Musk, X has faced scrutiny regarding its readiness for the upcoming presidential election, especially after the company laid off numerous employees, including members of its trust and safety team.
*What are your thoughts on X’s decision to allow political advertising ahead of the 2024 election? Share your opinions in the comments.*
