According to a statement, the World Bank is halting all paid advertising on X. A verified account shared a racist post, and one of its promoted ads was found under it, prompting the announcement. That promotes pro-Nazi and white nationalist content. The incident has raised serious questions about the platform’s ad placement policies and content moderation.
What Happened
A promoted advertisement for the World Bank was discovered in the comments section of a post featuring a racist image that praised the colonization of Africa. According to screenshots provided to ZDNet by “Deplatform Hate,” an activist group against hate speech on social media platforms. The account has a large following and regularly posts hateful content.
In response, the World Bank — which had already reduced its marketing efforts on X — immediately stopped all paid advertising.
“This latest incident is entirely unacceptable, and we are immediately ceasing all paid marketing on X. A spokesperson for the World Bank told Protocol. “We have been working with them (X) to implement stronger safety protocols for our content, but this shows we need to take more control over where our ads appear.”
Wider Problems With X’s Advertising System
This is not an isolated incident: Promoted advertisements from well-known brands are appearing under posts that spread hate speech and extremist content across X, according to platform Hate.
Saudia Airlines and Nordace, a Canadian-owned backpack company committed to treating all individuals with respect and empowering them to make positive impacts, had their advertisements placed below similar pro-Nazi and racist posts.
The management and monitoring of advertising content on X are unclear, but these placements suggest significant issues with one or both processes.
Since Elon Musk took over as CEO in October 2022, he has made significant modifications at X concerning the verification system and content material moderation policy. He dismantled the Trust.
These changes have allowed visibility and financial benefits for accounts, including those posting hate speech. Musk’s interactions with controversial content — like engaging with a post promoting an unfounded conspiracy theory — have amplified these issues further.
What Happens Next
The World Bank pulling advertising from X highlights the platform’s inability to safeguard its brand partners’ ads. Although X has said it will deboost and demonetize hateful content, ads still appear beneath posts violating these principles.
As more organizations follow suit with similar actions as the World Bank, X may need to revisit its moderation and ad practices if it wants to save face—and money.
