Apple has officially resumed advertising on X, marking a significant shift in the company's stance on the social media platform. This move comes over a year after Apple, along with several other major brands, paused their ad spending on X due to concerns over brand safety and content moderation.

The decision to restart advertising on X was first spotted by MacRumors, which reported that the Apple and AppleTV accounts are currently running promotions for Safari's privacy features and the Apple TV Plus show Severance, respectively. This development is notable, given that Apple was one of the most prominent brands to withdraw its advertising from the platform in November 2023.

The initial exodus of advertisers from X was sparked by controversial posts from Elon Musk, who acquired the platform in 2022. Musk's remarks, which included antisemitic conspiracy theories and white pride sentiments, raised concerns among advertisers about the potential risks to their brand reputation. The withdrawal of major brands like Apple, Amazon, Disney, Comcast, Warner Bros. Discovery, and IBM dealt a significant blow to X's revenue streams.

However, it appears that the relationship between Big Tech and Musk has undergone a significant shift since President Donald Trump took office. While X's approach to content moderation has remained largely unchanged, the platform has seen a resurgence of interest from advertisers. In fact, Amazon is reportedly planning to "significantly" increase its ad spending on X, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The return of Apple and other major brands to X is also noteworthy in light of the platform's ongoing antitrust lawsuit against a group of major advertisers. Filed in August 2024, the lawsuit alleges that the advertisers engaged in an "illegal boycott" and conspired to "collectively withhold billions of dollars in advertising revenue" from X. Apple is not a party to this lawsuit.

Despite the return of advertisers, concerns about X's content moderation practices persist. The European Union is currently investigating the platform's efforts, having already found that it violates the bloc's rules around advertising transparency. Moreover, Musk's own behavior on the platform has been criticized for promoting misinformation, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate speech.

The implications of Apple's decision to resume advertising on X are far-reaching. The move suggests that the company is willing to overlook its concerns about brand safety and content moderation in favor of reaching a wider audience. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of X's content moderation efforts and the potential risks associated with advertising on the platform.

As the tech industry continues to grapple with the complexities of social media regulation and content moderation, Apple's decision to restart advertising on X serves as a significant development in the ongoing saga. With the European Union's investigation into X's practices ongoing, it remains to be seen how this story will unfold in the coming months.