Several Danish media outlets, including tv2.dk, ekstrabladet.dk, jyllands-posten.dk, and berlingske.dk, have displayed advertisements allegedly paid for by the Israeli state. These ads, which have since been removed, sparked debate on social media and raised concerns about potential propaganda.

The advertisements appeared on various platforms. On TV 2’s website, an ad surfaced within a video about Holger Rune, claiming Hamas would launch new attacks similar to the October 7th terrorist attack. Berlingske Media’s platforms featured banner ads addressing the threat to Israel from groups including Hamas.

Users on social media platforms like Reddit questioned the decision of Danish media outlets to run what some perceived as “Israeli state propaganda.”

Both Berlingske and TV 2 acknowledged that the ads violated their respective media guidelines. The ads were purchased through Google’s advertising platform.

Stig Møller Christensen, TV 2’s commercial director, explained that the ads bypassed the initial screening process due to incorrect categorization. He stated that the filtering system, designed to prevent inappropriate content, failed in this instance, a rare occurrence.

Lisbet Røge Jensen, the commercial director at Berlingske Media, noted that the absence of a clear sender was a primary reason for removing the ad. She emphasized the importance of transparency regarding advertisers.

According to the trade magazine Journalisten, the sender was listed as the “Israeli Government Advertising Agency,” which has also promoted Israel’s Eurovision entry in the past.

Stig Møller Christensen from TV 2 raised concerns about the ads potentially resembling editorial content, thus violating TV 2’s guidelines. He highlighted that foreign states can, in principle, advertise in all Danish digital media, similar to Danish politicians and interest organizations, provided they adhere to existing legislation.

Google stated that protecting users is their highest priority. They removed some of the ads in question. They also added that advertisers must adhere to strict advertising guidelines and ads containing violent content are not allowed.