Google restricts political ads, X courts them as US election year looms
With the US presidential election year on the horizon, Google and Twitter are taking very different approaches to election-related content and political advertising on their platforms.
As reported by Reuters, Google announced this week that it will restrict the types of election-related queries to which its AI chatbot Bard and Search Generative Experience (SGE) can respond. The restrictions will take effect early 2024 and are intended to reduce the spread of misinformation and protect the integrity of the election, according to the company.
Last month, Meta also announced moves to restrict political campaigns and ads from using its AI advertising products, and to require advertisers to state whether AI was used to create or alter political or social messages.
However, stung by a 50% drop in revenues after the exodus of commercial advertisers in recent months, X (formerly Twitter) is actively courting political advertising dollars ahead of the US elections.
After banning political ads in 2019, Twitter reversed course in August 2022 following Elon Musk's takeover. The company is now building a dedicated political ad sales team, the FT reports, targetting campaigners and political action committees (PACs). It recently told industry partners it aims to rake in $100 million from political ads in the 2024 election cycle.
This target, which X has not publicly confirmed, has been met with scepticism. So far this year X has made less than $5 million in political advertising.
Political and industry figures quoted by the FT said X's team lacks numbers and experience, and that it risks pushing away commercial partners and many users of the social media platform.
X's ads are not as effectively targeted as those on Google or Facebook, and Musk's actions have alienated many liberal or left-leaning groups, who will be less inclined to advertise.
However, the platform remains the most effective at generating real-time chat about issues and could be used to "get out the vote" ahead of elections.
The contrasting approaches reflect the companies' divergent priorities and philosophies around content moderation. Mindful of regulators in the US and elsewhere, Google appears to taking measures to reduce misinformation and disinformation. X, meanwhile, has returned to Musk's "free speech absolutism" mantra, despite warnings from regulators and those concerned about impacts of disinformation on politics and civic discourse.