Desperate to make up for massive lost ad revenue, Twitter/X CEO Linda Yaccarino must be super excited that major brands like Honeywell, Discovery, National Women's Soccer League, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and USA Today are willing to advertise on Twitter. And what better way to showcase them on her boss's platform than by running their ads on the verified account of the National Socialist Network?
According to Media Matters, this is "a leading neo-Nazi group that engages in violence, has connections to terrorism, and uses Elon Musk's platform to recruit new members."
From Media Matters:
The National Socialist Network joined Twitter in November 2022, shortly after Musk completed his deal to buy Twitter. On November 12, they tweeted: "Elon Musk is a true homie #ElonIsDestroyingTwitter." Their account has been "verified since July 2023." Musk has said that verified accounts are eligible to receive a share of ad revenue, meaning that advertisers could be helping to fill the coffers of a neo-Nazi organization.
The group has used its account to celebrate Hitler ("the greatest man to ever live!") and has posted the swastika. It also attempts to recruit followers on the platform, including by writing: "So long as the Jews push for their Voice to Parliament, all White men of good conscience must fight against it. We implore all White Australians of our ideals to join the revolution!"
Twitter has monetized the neo-Nazi account and has placed numerous ads on it. Media Matters found ads this week on the National Socialist Network's account for the following brands:
- Alibaba
- Deloitte
- Dick's Sporting Goods
- Discovery
- FinanceBuzz
- GSK US
- Honeywell
- Manchester City
- National Women's Soccer League
- New England Revolution
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Sanofi US
- Showtime
- UKG
- USA Today
A job recruitment ad for the U.S. Border Patrol also appeared on the account of the National Socialist Network, meaning that the federal government is potentially spending money to recruit neo-Nazis. (Media Matters previously documented that an ad for the agency also appeared on a leading white nationalist account.)
Meanwhile, Yaccarino went to Hollywood to beg famous people to jump on board the hydrogen-filled X zeppelin:
