Hyundai paused advertising on X, previously known as Twitter, after an ad from the automaker was placed adjacent to an antisemitic and pro-Hitler post on the platform. Screenshots were posted by a user showing the ad above an antisemitic post from a verified “premium” account. In response to a CNN inquiry, Hyundai stated that they have paused their ads on X and are in communication with the platform directly to address brand safety concerns.
The automaker is the latest company to pause advertising on X, following owner Elon Musk’s public embrace of an antisemitic theory in 2023. X has since suspended the antisemitic account that was adjacent to the ad. The head of business operations at X, Joe Benarroch, confirmed this information in an email to CNN. Benarroch also mentioned that Hyundai had been running a Corporate level account on X focused on climate change ads aimed at reaching policy makers. However, the ad agency did not activate Brand Safety settings, which would prevent ads from being placed next to controversial content.
Despite efforts to address the issue, NBC News reported that there are still many verified premium accounts on X that share pro-Nazi content. The platform responded to this report by calling it a “gotcha article” and accusing NBC of not disclosing the full extent of its research. Musk, who had previously agreed with an antisemitic post on X, later apologized for his actions but also told advertisers who had stopped spending on the platform to “go f**k themselves.”
After visiting Auschwitz in January, Musk stated that X has less antisemitic content compared to other social media platforms, but admitted that he was not fully aware of the pervasive problem of antisemitism in the United States until recently. It is evident that there is still a significant issue with hateful content on X, despite efforts to address it. CNN’s Clare Duffy contributed to this report, shedding light on the ongoing concerns surrounding brand safety and antisemitic rhetoric on the platform.
