Hyundai announced its decision to pause advertising on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter. The South Korean auto giant cited brand safety issues as the primary reason for this decision. The company is also in direct talks with X, which is now owned by Elon Musk, to address these concerns.
The specifics behind Hyundai’s advertising pause remain unclear, with Reuters seeking further comment from the auto manufacturer. This move by Hyundai follows similar actions by other major companies last November. The White House had condemned Elon Musk’s endorsement of what was described as a “hideous” antisemitic conspiracy theory on X. In response, companies such as Walt Disney, Warner Bros Discovery, and Comcast paused their advertisements on the platform.
Since Musk’s acquisition of X in October 2022, there has been a noticeable decrease in content moderation on the platform. This has led to a significant increase in hate speech, as highlighted by civil rights groups. Media watchdog Media Matters previously reported instances where corporate advertisements from IBM, Apple, Oracle, and Comcast’s Xfinity were displayed alongside antisemitic content.
