Major brands suspend advertising on X after seeing their ads on pro-nazi account

Major brands like Adobe, Gilead Sciences, and NYU Langone Hospital have paused their advertising on X after their ads were found on a pro-Nazi account.

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Several brands have suspended advertising on X (formerly known as Twitter) after their ads were run on an account promoting fascism. The issue arose despite X CEO Linda Yaccarino’s proclaimed commitment to brand safety. Media Matters for America documented mainstream brands’ ads being run on the pro-Nazi account, leading to the suspension of ad spending by NCTA and Gilead Sciences. Other brands, including Adobe, the University of Maryland’s football team, and NYU Langone Hospital, also ran ads alongside pro-Nazi content. X conducted an investigation and found minimal ad impressions on the pro-Nazi account. Hours after the Media Matters report was published Wednesday morning and CNN observed additional brands’ ads running on the account, the account appeared to be suspended. 

Why does it matter?

This incident raises concerns about X’s commitment to brand safety, the need for continued improvement in brand safety and content measures, and raising awareness about potential ad placement on platforms like X.