X (formerly Twitter) continues to struggle to keep advertisers on board, and the brands that have stuck around are seeing ads show up in unexpected places. As reported by Media Matters, brands such as Honeywell, Discovery, Showtime and USA Today are having their ads placed alongside tweets from The National Socialist Network account, a neo-Nazi group that actively advocates for violence and terrorism. A job recruitment ad for the U.S. Border Patrol also appeared on the page.
It’s clear that not only is X still allowing hate groups to exist on the platform, it’s allowing them to monetize their tweets. The National Socialist Group’s leader Thomas Sewell was found guilty of “recklessly causing injury and array” following a 2021 attack. Other members of the group have pleaded guilty to “possessing documents and records of information for terrorist acts.” Yet, the group’s Twitter account is still active.
Media Matters also reports that the account joined shortly after owner Elon Musk purchased Twitter. It has been “verified since July 2023,” and according to Musk, all verified accounts are eligible to receive a share of ad revenue on the platform.
Earlier this week, Twitter started slashing new ad booking prices by 50 percent through the end of the month. The company says that the discount is necessary to allow advertisers to “gain reach during crucial moments” such as sporting events. Twitter was also asking brands to spend at least $1,000 per month on ads or verification in order to retain their verified badge on the platform.
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