X Enhances Platform Safety With New Advertiser Controls

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The Gist

Safety first. X unveils advanced advertiser controls.
Marketers delight. Enhanced ad placement options available.
Impressive uptake. Over 1,900 companies adopt with 99% efficacy.

X, the social media platform once known as Twitter, has taken a step forward in ensuring a safer and more inclusive environment for its users and advertisers with the launch of pre-bid Adjacency Controls, a feature designed to give advertisers greater control over where their ads are displayed, ensuring they don’t end up alongside unwanted content.

This initiative seems to be well-received by the advertising community, with over 1,900 companies already leveraging the tool. According to X, it boasts a success rate of more than 99%.

The tool allows advertisers to ensure that their ads do not appear next to or in close proximity to certain keywords or user accounts (handles) that they deem undesirable or inappropriate. Essentially, it gives advertisers more control over the context in which their ads are displayed, allowing them to steer clear of content that might be harmful to their brand’s image or message.

Related Article: Why ‘X’? What Lessons Does Twitter Rebranding Hold for Marketers?

X Deepens Ties With Integral Ad Sciences to Bolster Brand Safety

In addition to its latest announcement, X also unveiled the expansion of its collaboration with brand safety provider, Integral Ad Sciences (IAS).

This decision to work with IAS as part of an exclusive partnership comes after company officials said they spent months reviewing third-party partners to provide pre-bid buying tools aligned with the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) Safety & Suitability Framework, a collaboration of industry professionals with the goal of establishing guidelines that enhance the positive potential of digital media while minimizing the prevalence and financial incentives of harmful content online.

According to X officials, the new tool will ensure that X’s US advertisers have access to top tier, selectively chosen ad inventory compliant with the GARM framework. This move, in collaboration with IAS and other metrics partners, not only refines current safety practices but also hints at a future global expansion of these solutions.

Related Article: Elon Musk Transforms Twitter: Farewell Blue Bird — Hello X

X to Test New Sensitivity Settings, Enhanced Blocklist for Advertisers

In an effort to further customize ad placements on X, the platform is set to trial Sensitivity Settings, a feature that allows advertisers to better match their brand’s message with appropriate content. Slated for release in the upcoming weeks via the X Ads Manager, this automated tool utilizes machine learning to adjust ad placements based on a brand’s defined sensitivity levels. The tool also provides brands with the autonomy to choose an ad environment that aligns with their campaign goals.

X also rolled out an automated blocklist, designed to shield advertisers from being showcased next to potentially unsafe keywords, particularly within sections like the home timeline, including, “For You” and “Following.”

Controversy Brews: Not Everyone Embraces X’s Ad Placement Innovations

Some users appear to be excited about the news. Rebecca Robertson posted “Great idea!” and GW.ai wrote “this is long overdue, thank you.”

But not everyone is thrilled with X’s latest move. An X user who goes by the name, Rosie Pinipy, says she relies on the platform for income and would like to see more transparency from a creator’s standpoint.

“The hidden categories and severities of “sensitive media” associated with our accounts and content are incredibly harmful to creators who rely on this platform for an income,” Pinipy wrote in an “x” (formerly known as a tweet.)

When can we expect to see some transparency on this from a creators POV?

The hidden categories and severities of “sensitive media” associated with our accounts and content are incredibly harmful to creators who rely on this platform for an income.

If you could just let us…

— Rosie ☆ Pinipy (@Pinipy) August 9, 2023

As X forges ahead with its revamped advertiser controls, reactions within the online community appear to be a mixed bag. While many in the advertising sphere laud the platform’s move to ensure brand safety, concerns emerge from creators who rely on X for revenue. The call for greater transparency underscores the platform’s ongoing challenge: balancing the interests of advertisers with those of its user base. Only time will tell how these new tools impact both communities and whether further refinements are on the horizon.

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