Title: Major Brands’ Ads Found On Verified Account of White Supremacist Outlet on Social Media Platform X
Subtitle: X Faces Criticism as Prominent Companies Advertise on Racist Content
Chania, Greece – In a disturbing revelation, prominent brands such as Amazon, Samsung, STARZ, and The Wall Street Journal have had their advertisements appear directly on the verified profile account of VDARE, an openly racist and white supremacist outlet on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). The alarming presence of these ads raises questions about X’s commitment to brand safety and its ethical standards.
The issue came to light after a review conducted by Reliable Sources, which found a host of major companies and organizations advertising on VDARE’s profile. Joining the list of companies whose ads appeared alongside hate speech are the Denver Broncos, Cox Communications, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, the University of Missouri, New York Waterway, Axios, Puck, Ad Age, Morning Brew, and the Asian Development Bank.
While platforms like Facebook and YouTube have banned VDARE, it is shocking that X permits the outlet to operate a verified account on its platform, granting it access to monetization and increasing its visibility to users. The fact that X has not taken significant action to address this issue raises concerns about the company’s ethics and commitment to brand safety.
X’s lack of response is particularly concerning, as the NFL recently expressed concerns about its ads being displayed on accounts featuring racist content, including VDARE’s account. Despite claims from X executive Linda Yaccarino that the company has implemented stringent measures to prevent brands from being associated with hate speech, the reality of the situation on X raises doubts about these claims.
In response to the backlash, X released a statement acknowledging that it needs to do more to make the platform safe for brands. A company spokesperson stated, “X cares about the health and safety of the platform for all its users, advertisers and publishers, and we’re accelerating products so our content partners can be removed from some in-app placements like profile and search.”
However, for many brands, the statement from X came too late. STARZ, for instance, suspended all advertising on X immediately and indefinitely, stating that racist hate speech is completely against its brand values. Other companies, such as New York Waterway, expressed their dismay and vowed to contact X to address the issue.
Representatives from The Wall Street Journal, Axios, Morning Brew, Ad Age, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, and the Asian Development Bank either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment.
The incident highlights the urgency for major advertisers to thoroughly vet platforms like X before advertising their carefully crafted brands. Lou Paskalis, a seasoned advertising executive, emphasized that associating ads with racist and antisemitic content poses significant risks to brands that have enterprise-wide initiatives supporting diversity and inclusion.
“A single incident of this, screen shot and circulated, undoes years of hard work. And no amount of advertising benefit would ever displace the potential risk of one incident where your ad shows up next to unsavory content,” Paskalis explained.
As X faces mounting criticism, it must take immediate action to address the issue and restore confidence among advertisers. The incident serves as a reminder that platforms must prioritize brand safety and consider the ethical implications of their associations.