Verizon (VZ) – Get report became the largest company to remove its advertising from Facebook (full board) – Get report and Facebook-owned Instagram about what, and a growing number of companies and organizations say, is the social media company’s inaction to stop hate speech on its platforms.
The communications giant said it would join other companies, including Ben & Jerry’s, Patagonia and REI, to suspend advertising on Facebook-owned platforms until the company “can create an acceptable solution that makes us comfortable.”
“We have strict content and zero tolerance policies when violated, we take action,” John Nitti, director of media for Verizon, said in a statement. “We are pausing our advertising until Facebook can create an acceptable solution that makes us feel comfortable and is consistent with what we have done with YouTube and other partners.”
The decision follows an open letter to advertisers Thursday by the Anti-Defamation League, which this week launched a “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign, which is also being led by the NAACP and Color of Change. The letter highlighted an example of a Verizon ad that, according to the ADL, appeared alongside a conspiracy post on Facebook.
“We found a Verizon ad that appears alongside a video of the QAnon conspiracy group based on hateful and anti-Semitic rhetoric,” the letter said, “warning that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) plans to start the civil war with concentration”. camps and coffins ready and claiming that Americans are already quarantined in militarized districts. “
In its statement, Verizon said, “We have strict zero tolerance and content policies when violated.”
“We applaud Verizon for joining this growing fight against hatred and bigotry by pausing their advertising on Facebook platforms until they put people and safety above profit,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “This is how a real change is made.”
Maven contributor Daniel Martins noted in an article on TheAppleMaven that the best Facebook days may be behind this.
“Higher costs and a slowdown in revenue suggest that Facebook’s best days may be behind us, and the current ‘boycott of Facebook’ campaign probably won’t help it recover any time soon,” Martins wrote.
Verizon shares fell 1.09% to $ 53.70 in trading on Friday. Facebook shares fell 5.87% to $ 221.85.
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