In a "timeline takeover" ad campaign on Twitter, conservative media nonprofit PragerU is promoting its new film with the hashtag "#DETRANS," showcasing the stories of individuals who have detransitioned. The campaign took advantage of Twitter's feature that offers advertisers "priority access to logged-in users' first impression of the day."
PragerU, known for its conservative views, selected Twitter for this campaign, citing the platform's reputation as one of the least censored social media platforms since Elon Musk's acquisition and the removal of previous restrictions. The film attempts to shed light on young people who initially sought gender-affirming care but now express regret. PragerU considers this documentary its "most important" video, although extensive research suggests that detransitioning is a rare occurrence. According to a 2021 review of 27 studies involving nearly 8,000 transgender patients, less than 1% expressed regret after undergoing gender-affirmation procedures.
Despite evidence supporting the effectiveness and minimal regret associated with gender-affirming care, some right-wing figures continue to generate concerns and controversies around LGBTQ+ individuals' access to such care. In 2023, over 400 anti-trans bills have been introduced by state legislators, reflecting the ongoing political debate surrounding these issues.
This advertising campaign comes at a challenging time for Twitter's ad business. Although X CEO Linda Yaccarino predicts the company will achieve profitability by 2024, other data indicates that the platform's advertising business is facing challenges. Insider Intelligence estimates a 54% decrease in X's ad revenue in 2023, compared to the previous year. Reports from Similarweb, a market intelligence firm, also reveal declining traffic and monthly active users on the platform.
PragerU disclosed a total spending of $1 million to promote the "DETRANS" documentary, including a portion allocated for the Twitter "timeline takeover." For X, this prominent ad placement is estimated to contribute to just 0.053% of its annual advertising earnings.
Despite encountering resistance from some users on Twitter, the company confirmed that PragerU's advertisements comply with platform guidelines. Additionally, this particular ad cannot be dismissed, even if a user has blocked PragerU's account. Twitter's typical ad reporting option is unavailable for this ad.
PragerU is also running advertisements for its documentary on Meta and Google, although in less prominent placements. The organization sought a similar "takeover" ad spot on YouTube, a platform owned by Google, but was denied due to YouTube's ad requirements on political topics.
PragerU, known for its conservative views, selected Twitter for this campaign, citing the platform's reputation as one of the least censored social media platforms since Elon Musk's acquisition and the removal of previous restrictions. The film attempts to shed light on young people who initially sought gender-affirming care but now express regret. PragerU considers this documentary its "most important" video, although extensive research suggests that detransitioning is a rare occurrence. According to a 2021 review of 27 studies involving nearly 8,000 transgender patients, less than 1% expressed regret after undergoing gender-affirmation procedures.
Despite evidence supporting the effectiveness and minimal regret associated with gender-affirming care, some right-wing figures continue to generate concerns and controversies around LGBTQ+ individuals' access to such care. In 2023, over 400 anti-trans bills have been introduced by state legislators, reflecting the ongoing political debate surrounding these issues.
This advertising campaign comes at a challenging time for Twitter's ad business. Although X CEO Linda Yaccarino predicts the company will achieve profitability by 2024, other data indicates that the platform's advertising business is facing challenges. Insider Intelligence estimates a 54% decrease in X's ad revenue in 2023, compared to the previous year. Reports from Similarweb, a market intelligence firm, also reveal declining traffic and monthly active users on the platform.
PragerU disclosed a total spending of $1 million to promote the "DETRANS" documentary, including a portion allocated for the Twitter "timeline takeover." For X, this prominent ad placement is estimated to contribute to just 0.053% of its annual advertising earnings.
Despite encountering resistance from some users on Twitter, the company confirmed that PragerU's advertisements comply with platform guidelines. Additionally, this particular ad cannot be dismissed, even if a user has blocked PragerU's account. Twitter's typical ad reporting option is unavailable for this ad.
PragerU is also running advertisements for its documentary on Meta and Google, although in less prominent placements. The organization sought a similar "takeover" ad spot on YouTube, a platform owned by Google, but was denied due to YouTube's ad requirements on political topics.
