Jaguar Land Rover, Thomson Reuters and others have reacted to a report that ads have appeared on hate sites and next to YouTube videos from supporters of terrorist and extremist groups.
Big-name advertisers, including car maker Jaguar Land Rover and media and information firm Thomson Reuters, have suspended or limited their U.K. digital advertising spending following a recent newspaper report saying that their ads have appeared on hate sites and next to videos from supporters of Islamic terrorists and other extremist groups.
The Times of London, part of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, in its report earlier this month wrote: “Some of the world’s biggest brands are unwittingly funding Islamic extremists, white supremacists and pornographers by advertising on their web sites.” It added:
“Advertisements for hundreds of large companies, universities and charities, including Mercedes-Benz, Waitrose and Marie Curie, appear on hate sites and YouTube videos created by supporters of terrorist groups, such as Islamic State and Combat 18, a violent pro-Nazi faction.”