X, the once-Twitter company, announced on Tuesday its decision to allow political advertising in the US by candidates and political parties, coupled with an expansion of its safety and elections unit in anticipation of the 2024 presidential election.
Formerly banning all global political ads since 2019, Twitter underwent changes after Elon Musk’s acquisition in October. Initially permitting “cause-based ads” in the US, focusing on issues like voter registration, Twitter has now chosen to open its platform to all forms of political advertising in the US.
This strategic move aims to boost X’s revenue during a period marked by advertiser apprehension over content-related concerns.
In an official blog post, X unveiled plans to enhance teams countering content manipulation and emerging threats. The establishment of a global advertising transparency center will enable users to track promoted political ads on X.
The company maintains its stance against political ads disseminating false information or aiming to erode public trust in elections.
Similar to its peers, X faces criticism from researchers and legislators for inadequately addressing misleading content during critical elections.
Following Musk’s acquisition, X faced skepticism about its preparedness for the US presidential election, given layoffs, including staff from the trust and safety team.