Misinformation Super-Spreaders on X Might Benefit from Ad Revenue, Study Finds
A recent study by NewsGuard, a for-profit organization tracking misinformation, suggests that certain verified "Premium" subscribers on X (formerly Twitter) spreading misinformation may qualify for X's ad revenue sharing program. The report examined 30 posts made between November 13th and 22nd, collectively reaching 92 million views. These posts propagated conspiracy theories about the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Notably, these misleading posts contained advertisements from diverse entities, including Airbnb, Asus, governmental organizations like the FBI and Taiwan's Ministry of Culture, and nonprofits like the UK Royal Society of Chemistry and the University of Baltimore.
NewsGuard highlighted 10 accounts with over 100,000 followers, categorizing them as "misinformation super-spreaders" based on their metrics. According to Veena McCoole, NewsGuard's VP of communications, these posts amplified false or misleading claims previously debunked in their Misinformation Fingerprints database concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict. McCoole indicated that these flagged posts might not be the only ones perpetuating misinformation or hate speech eligible for revenue sharing on X.
These findings align with other reports raising concerns about X displaying ads on content containing hate speech or false information. Earlier, X faced backlash and legal action after advertisements were spotted alongside pro-Nazi content. Additionally, Elon Musk, the platform's owner, showed support for an antisemitic post. Reports from organizations like the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) highlighted instances of hate speech that X allegedly failed to remove.
NewsGuard's report was publicly acknowledged by an official X account, which implied that the data would only be shared upon payment. The report provided a spreadsheet containing the analyzed posts. However, when approached for comment, X's press line offered an auto-reply, citing being busy.
In October, Musk stated that revenue would not be shared for posts corrected by Community Notes, a moderation tool. X's revenue-sharing terms specify withholding payouts for activities violating the X User Agreement, which includes misleading or deceptive content. Despite this, NewsGuard's analysis identified 30 posts disseminating false claims about the Israel-Hamas conflict, with 24 of them displaying ads from major brands and institutions. Interestingly, some posts had Community Notes, making them ineligible for revenue sharing per Musk's statement, yet others without these notes displayed ads from significant organizations like Oracle, Pizza Hut, and government bodies.
