IBM stops advertising with X
Computer giant IBM is stopping all advertising on Elon Musk's online platform X (formerly Twitter) after its ads were discovered alongside Nazi posts.
IBM does not tolerate hate speech and is investigating the "absolutely unacceptable situation", a spokesperson said. The computer group wanted to spend around one million dollars on X in the final quarter, as the "New York Times" reported, citing internal messages from the platform.
A few hours earlier, the organization Media Matters had pointed out how ads from IBM, Apple and the software company Oracle, among others, appeared on X alongside posts with positive statements about Adolf Hitler and the ideology of the National Socialists.
Many companies have concerns
This is by no means the first time that something like this has happened. Companies have little influence over exactly which posts their advertising is placed next to. The ads tend to be targeted at specific age groups, areas or interests of users.
In order to avoid a negative environment for their brands, advertisers are particularly reliant on X consistently keeping hate speech off the platform. Other online services have also had similar problems with their advertisers in the past, for example Google's video platform YouTube. At the time, it tightened content supervision in order to win back advertising customers.
Since Musk bought Twitter a year ago, many companies have had concerns about this and are staying away from the platform or limiting their spending. Musk has said several times that advertising revenue is only about half of what it was when he was on Twitter. At times, he tried to incite his followers against rogue advertisers. When there were reports that Apple had cut spending on ads on the platform, Musk visited CEO Tim Cook at the headquarters in Cupertino. The head of X, Linda Yaccarino, who was appointed by Musk, promised advertising customers a safe environment.
Musk represents political views of the American right and accused the former Twitter leadership of having suppressed them. He promised more freedom of speech - all statements that did not violate the law should be allowed. At the same time, his dismissal actions hit the Twitter teams responsible for deleting hate speech in a big way.
Musk draws new accusations
The X owner himself caused a new controversy: He endorsed a post in which an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory was spread. Among other things, it stated that "hatred against white people" was being spread by Jews. Musk wrote under the post on Wednesday that it contained the "actual truth".
Musk later added that he was referring to "some groups" such as the Jewish organization Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which spread "de facto anti-white racism and anti-Asian racism". In further statements, Musk reiterated that he believes there is a problem with racism against white people.
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt wrote on X about Musk's comments that it is "undeniably dangerous" when someone uses their influence to confirm and spread anti-Semitic theories. The American Jewish Committee organization also pointed out that the post supported by Musk contained elements of the conspiracy theory that played a role in the 2018 attack on a synagogue in Pittsburgh. The attacker killed eleven people at the time.
At a time when antisemitism is exploding in America and surging around the world, it is indisputably dangerous to use one's influence to validate and promote antisemitic theories. #NeverIsNow pic.twitter.com/vVlyOeoS5x
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) November 16, 2023
Musk has more than 160 million followers on X. Following earlier criticism, he had emphasized that he had no anti-Semitic views. Yaccarino wrote on X that discrimination from all sides must stop.
US investor Ross Gerber raised the question of what consequences Musk's actions would have for the electric car manufacturer Tesla, which he runs. Musk is not acting in the interests of Tesla, Gerber criticized on TV channel CNBC.
"He is destroying everything he has built" and damaging the car manufacturer's reputation. He himself will replace his Tesla Model Y with a vehicle from competitor Rivian next year - "and I'm sure the rest of Los Angeles will do the same".
In response to the controversy, Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), defended an anti-Semitic post, causing further concerns for IBM, as they have stopped advertising on the platform due to hate speech issues. Additionally, IBM and other companies have expressed concerns about advertising on X since Musk's takeover due to his promotion of free speech and alleged dismissals of hate speech moderators.
Source: www.dpa.com
