“Given our Accountability Framework and the polarized atmosphere in the US, we have decided that from now until at least the end of the year, we will not post brand advertising on the social media news delivery platforms Facebook, Instagram and Twitter on The USA.” company said in a statement. “Continuing to advertise on these platforms right now would not add value to people and society. We will be monitoring on-going and reviewing our current position if necessary.”
“Based on the current polarization and elections that we are having in the United States, there must be much more application in the area of hate speech,” Luis Di Como, executive vice president of global media for Unilever, said in an interview. .
Unilever’s pledge marks the broadest and potentially most damaging of companies that have turned against Facebook. The company was the 30th most-spent on advertising on Facebook in 2019, investing more than $ 42 million on the platform, according to estimates from advertising intelligence company Pathmatics.
Most of the other brands that have announced boycotts of Facebook have said they will suspend advertising during the month of July, or “at least” until the end of July.
Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement, Vice President of Global Customer Solutions for Twitter, Sarah Personette, said the company is committed to building a secure platform that also amplifies “the voices of underrepresented communities and marginalized groups.”
“We are respectful of our partners’ decisions and will continue to work and communicate closely with them during this time,” said Personette.
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