X Starts Lying to Advertisers: The No-Holds-Barred Corporate Circus
In a dramatic pivot screaming corporate responsibility, Hyundai Motor America has yanked its ads from the platform known as X (formerly Twitter), after discovering their shiny family vehicles were being showcased next to propaganda that could make a 1930s dictator proud. The social media site, freshly acquired and tossed into the chaotic universe of Elon Musk’s tech empire, has found itself under a
blistering spotlight. What ignited this dumpster fire? A deep-dive investigation revealed Hyundai's ads were getting cozy next to profiles that were openly endorsing white supremacy and the worst of Nazi ideologies. Apparently, one of these "premium" accounts felt no qualms about posting pro-Hitler sentiments and antisemitic vitriol—right alongside advertisements for Hyundai’s latest models. In response to this PR catastrophe, a
Hyundai spokesperson announced the company’s swift departure from X, citing a desperate need for tighter ad controls: “We are immediately removing our ads from the site. We are updating our parameters to avoid other instances similar to this.” Hyundai's reaction underscores a growing alarm among corporate advertisers about the kind of bedfellows they find themselves with on platforms that can't seem to handle the basics of content moderation. Meanwhile, X supposedly swung the banhammer at the offending antisemitic account, at least according to Joe Benarroch, head of business operations at X. In an email to CNN, Benarroch claimed the account had been suspended. However, in a twist that’s less plot twist and more par for the course, the account was reportedly back online, spewing the same hateful bile as before, unabated. X's claim? A fib told in the panic of a mass advertiser exodus, with seemingly zero real strategy to
address or reform their content policing.
The offending account is still up.
But it gets worse: The circus at X just added another act to its show of horrors. When cornered about the continued presence of neo-Nazi content, Joe Benarroch, X’s resident master of excuses, played a new card from the deck: blame the victims. He suggested that the advertisers themselves were at fault for not using "Brand Safety" solutions—a fancy way of saying
third-party software that could supposedly protect their ads from lying down with the dogs of hate speech. What a revelation! Essentially, X threw up its hands and admitted that not only does it host these vile accounts, it’s also virtually powerless (or unwilling) to police them effectively. This move to deflect blame is like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, except the rabbit is also flipping everyone off. This blame game opens a
whole new can of worms about the integrity of X's operations. By pointing the finger at advertisers for not armoring up with tools like Integral Ad Science (IAS), Benarroch acknowledged that X is a wild west of content, where verified Nazi accounts roam free. This isn’t just a small oversight; it’s a strategy. X seems to bank on advertisers buying into the illusion that everything is under control, while it casually cashes in on chaos. The fact that there’s no guarantee even with the
use of these expensive safety nets tells you everything you need to know about the platform’s commitment—or lack thereof—to cleaning up its act. X is playing a dangerous game, gambling with its credibility and the safety of its users, betting that the dazzle of its brand will blind advertisers to the darkness lurking in its feeds. This isn't an isolated boo-boo. Hyundai’s bad ad placement is part of a trend where numerous companies have unwittingly
had their promotions served up next to content advocating violence against minorities and Jews. This stark exposure has not only smeared Hyundai's reputation but also sparked a much-needed discussion about the ethical responsibilities of social media advertising. Hyundai is not just stepping back; they're overhauling their entire ad placement strategy to erect sturdier barriers against similar mishaps in the future, potentially setting a blueprint for other brands
to follow. Their exit is symptomatic of a larger exodus. Over the last year, giants like IBM and Comcast have also hit pause on their X advertising endeavors after their own ads were spotted keeping company with pro-Nazi content. The continuous loss of major advertisers is a loud wake-up call about the current state of affairs under Musk's unpredictable stewardship. With policy enforcement seemingly at the whim of the wind, Patrick Riccards,
executive director of Life After Hate, commented on the disturbingly welcoming environment X has fostered for extremists: “For those who are already driven by hate, it is a big warm hug. They’re wanting to find individuals to take physical action when the time comes.” As more companies follow Hyundai's lead, refusing to associate their brands with hate speech, the pressure is on X to get its act together. The platform must find a way to balance freedom of speech with the pressing need to clamp down on hate-filled content. But with Benarroch shifting blame to advertisers for not using external "Brand Safety" measures to sidestep X's internal chaos, it’s clear that at least for now, X is more interested in passing the buck than cleaning up its act. In this corporate circus, it’s the advertisers who are left walking the
tightrope.
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THREE STORIES THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW in a format that isn't TL:DR summarized for the busy executive
Netflix is practically swimming in subscribers, having scooped up a whopping 9.33 million new devotees globally in the first quarter of 2024, a sizzling 16% jump from the previous quarter. This brings their total subscriber count to a dizzying 269.6 million worldwide, with 82.7 million just chilling in the U.S. and Canada. It seems like all those freeloading Netflix sharers finally decided to pay up,
significantly juicing Netflix's revenue to a cool $9.37 billion, outpacing those pesky industry estimates. Not to rest on its laurels, Netflix is betting big on its "Netflix With Ads" bargain at $6.99 a month, which saw a 70% subscriber surge. And while it toys with our nostalgia for password sharing, it's busy planning to sprinkle more local-language content abroad to snag more subscribers. Meanwhile, Netflix's competitors are probably sweating bullets trying to mimic its recipe for streaming
success. As Netflix waves goodbye to detailed subscriber and revenue forecasts, one has to wonder if it's quietly confident or just playing coy. Either way, Netflix's latest moves are less about cliffhangers and more about commanding the narrative in streaming supremacy.
YouTube is now rolling out
the red carpet for advertisers with its shiny new "Select Shorts" ad offering, aimed at those longing to splash their ads next to the crème de la crème of YouTube Shorts. In a world where brevity is the soul of wit—and apparently advertising—the Google-owned juggernaut is letting marketers cherry-pick their ad placements across five tantalizing categories: entertainment, beauty, fashion and lifestyle, food and recipes, gaming, and automotive. This isn't just about throwing ads into the
digital ether and hoping for the best; it's about strategic alignment, connecting brands with the niche audiences who will eat up their content faster than a cat video goes viral. With YouTube Shorts pulling in a jaw-dropping 70 billion daily views from 2 billion logged-in monthly users, and viewership on TVs ballooning, this move could spell a new era where ads are less interruptive and more a part of the short-form fun. Advertisers, start your engines—YouTube's got a prime-time slot just for
you. Meta's latest move in the AI arms race, the unveiling of its AI assistant integrated across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and even its Ray-Ban smart glasses, is like throwing a high-tech party and inviting everyone from gamers to grannies. This all-in-one circus, Meta AI, is
not just dabbling in basic tasks but is planning your meals, acing your tests, and even dreaming up your next Instagram post with ease. With the introduction of Llama 3, their new AI model, Meta isn't just dipping its toes but diving headfirst into the open-source pool, aiming to splash its rivals with a wave of tech that’s open for all to swim in. This strategic flood of features and freedom comes as a beacon of 'try to keep up' to its competitors, all while trying to maintain a clean record on
user data amidst rising concerns of AI-generated misinformation and its impact on trivial things like, you know, democracy and privacy. In the digital content circus, Meta is juggling more balls than ever, hoping not to drop one and spoil the show.
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