IBM Freezes Advertising On X/Twitter Over Ad Placement Next To Pro-Nazi Content; Elon Musk Under Fire For Amplifying Anti-Semitic Post
16.11.2023 - 23:43
/ deadline.com
Elon Musk is once again facing furor over one of his X/Twitter posts, this time when he agreed with a user’s comment that Jews have a “hatred against whites.”
The tweet has put even more attention on X/Twitter, which Musk owns, and the spread of antisemitic posts in the wake of Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
IBM announced that it was suspending advertising on the platform following a Media Matters report showing that major brands had their advertising placed next to posts that promoted the Nazi party.
“IBM has zero tolerance for hate speech and discrimination and we have immediately suspended all advertising on X while we investigate this entirely unacceptable situation,” a company spokesperson said in a statement to the Financial Times and other outlets.
Media Matters featured other posts that showed ads from Bravo, Oracle and Xfinity next to pro-Nazi and pro-Hitler content.
Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X/Twitter, appeared to be trying some damage control this afternoon, as she posted, “X’s point of view has always been very clear that discrimination by everyone should STOP across the board — I think that’s something we can and should all agree on. When it comes to this platform — X has also been extremely clear about our efforts to combat antisemitism and discrimination. There’s no place for it anywhere in the world — it’s ugly and wrong. Full stop.”
Yaccarino has been trying to convince advertisers that X/Twitter is a safe place for them to place their spots. She wrote on Tuesday, “We’re always working to protect the public conversation.”
But Musk’s post on Wednesday amplified a longtime antisemitic trope about the great replacement theory.
A user posted, “Jewish communties have been pushing the