Twitter CEO Elon Musk In Fresh Controversy Over White Supremacy

After Twitter owner Elon Musk allowed a large number of previously banned users to rejoin the social media network, advertisements for more than thirty brands, including significant corporations, started to appear on the Twitter pages of white nationalist accounts recently.

At least two white nationalists, Andrew Anglin and Patrick Casey, who both claimed their accounts had been banned. Their accounts  were recently reinstated after Musk took control of Twitter in late October. He accidentally saw promoted tweets from Amazon, Snap, Uber, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Elon Musk claim himself “free-speech absolutist”

Musk fired hundreds of Twitter employees as part of a massive cost-cutting drive, including entire teams responsible for the site’s content moderation. It included making sure ads didn’t run on material that brands would find offensive. Musk, who describes himself as a “free-speech absolutist.” He posted on Twitter poll late last month asking users if he should restore accounts that had not engaged in illegal conduct or spam. Some of those accounts began reappearing on the site last week, and advertisements began to appear on the pages of some of the restored accounts. Recently the offices of Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters have been transformed by Elon Musk into compact bedrooms. 

Having ads appear inadvertently next to such content is the latest stumbling block in Musk’s relationship with Twitter advertisers. Many companies have already abandoned the platform. However, after Musk briefly launched a paid-for verification system. It resulted in a slew of accounts impersonating celebrities, political figures, and major corporations. Civil rights organizations have called for an ad boycott of the site. However, claiming that Musk is no longer able to successfully police it.

Ads pop up on white nationalist pages

According to a review conducted by The Washington Post, roughly 40 brands had advertisements appear on white nationalist pages. Voices of the Civil Rights Movement, a Comcast and NBC-led effort to honor the legacy of racial justice pioneers, it was among them. Advertisers whose content appeared on the pages included media companies such as USA Today and Morning Brew.

Brand advertisements also appeared beneath white supremacist posts from accounts. However, it display names such as “No White Guilt Clips” and “White Power Ranger,” the latter of which posted a photo of what appeared to be a Nazi officer with a Hugo Boss logo. It was a reference to the designer brand that has apologized for its role in the atrocities. However, it was restored by musk.

Also Read: Elon Musk Fires Twitter Lawyer James Baker Over Suppression