I just returned from a holiday, a 2,300km road trip through France. It was strange to be overseas when TV coverage of the Olympics was interrupted to show burning police vans back in Britain, with riots in our towns and cities.
The disorder seemed like a moron identification scheme. Many individuals have exposed themselves – from the fascists and influencers who spread misinformation online, to the troublemakers who attacked a mosque, police, and hotels.
The justice system and security services now face the challenge of differentiating between the truly dangerous individuals and those who lack basic intelligence.
The riots demonstrate how spreading lies on social media can have a negative impact on communities in the real world.
Enter Elon Musk, owner of X, formerly known as Twitter. Today, we uncover how the social media platform is capitalizing on engagement with far-right content to attract advertisers (see investigation on page 12).
X’s revenue is increasing by running advertisements alongside tweets from British fascists. Reputable brands were surprised to discover their ad campaigns appearing next to viral messages from fascists. Some of these brands have decided to pause their advertising with X.
Among those inadvertently involved are The Daily Telegraph, Saudi Arabia, travel and events companies, and personal finance firms. The messages I came across included racist content and fresh misinformation about the UK riots.
Musk decided to lift Twitter bans on various far-right individuals in the name of free speech. It is unlikely that he will change his stance. However, today’s report adds more pressure on him for allowing hate speech and misinformation on the platform, and for profiting from it through advertising revenue.
In conclusion, the intertwining of reputable brands with controversial content on social media platforms raises concerns about ethical advertising practices and the responsibilities of tech companies. It highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in the digital age to ensure that harmful ideologies and misinformation do not spread unchecked.