Patagonia has joined REI and The North Face in announcing plans to suspend advertising on Facebook and Instagram to show support for a movement called “#StopHateForProfit.”
#StopHateForProfit, a coalition of civil-rights organizations led by the Anti-Defamation League and the NAACP, last Wednesday called on advertisers to suspend their marketing on Facebook in the month of July due to how the platform polices hate speech and misinformation. The campaign comes amid rising scrutiny of Facebook’s largely hands-off approach to political speech.
Patagonia said in a series of tweets, “Patagonia is proud to join the Stop Hate for Profit campaign. We will pull all ads on Facebook and Instagram, effective immediately, through at least the end of July, pending meaningful action from the social media giant.
“For too long, Facebook has failed to take sufficient steps to stop the spread of hateful lies and dangerous propaganda on its platform.
“From secure elections to a global pandemic to racial justice, the stakes are too high to sit back and let the company continue to be complicit in spreading disinformation and fomenting fear and hatred.
“As companies across the country work hard to ensure that Americans have access to free and fair elections this fall, we can’t stand by and contribute resources to companies that contribute to the problem.
“We stand with #StopHateforProfit in saying Facebook’s ‘profits will never be worth promoting hate, bigotry, racism, antisemitism, and violence. – Cory Bayers, Head of Marketing, Patagonia”
The North Face and REI announced similar moves on Friday. Upwork, a freelancing platform, has also temporarily pulled its advertising.
Photo courtesy The Washington Post
