Apple has started buying ads on Twitter’s rebranded platform X after a two-year absence following Elon Musk’s takeover and loosening of moderation rules. The move comes despite concerns over the presence of Nazi content on the site, which has seen a surge in pro-Nazi tweets since Musk took control.
In 2023, Apple pulled its advertising from X due to the platform’s history of hosting Holocaust denial, racism, and anti-Semitic content alongside their ads. Other major tech companies like Amazon followed suit. However, with Musk at the helm, some advertisers have returned, including “Nixon Groyper,” a now-suspended account that promoted Holocaust denial.
The decision to return comes as Musk has strengthened ties with President Donald Trump and developed a strong relationship with Big Tech. In 2023, Musk stated, “Go fuck yourself” to advertisers who boycotted his platform, labeling the boycott as blackmail. Despite this, some companies have since returned, seeking to capitalize on X’s renewed popularity.
X has taken steps to suspend accounts promoting hate speech, but experts argue that the site’s moderation rules are inadequate to address the scale of the issue. With Apple’s return, other advertisers now have a chance to be featured alongside pro-Nazi content, raising concerns over the platform’s ability to maintain a safe environment for users.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/apple-comes-crawling-back-to-x-like-a-dog-2000563701