Magnolia Pictures, Ben & Jerry’s, Eddie Bauer and More Brands Join Facebook Ad Boycott

Hollywood studio Magnolia Pictures, ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s and sporting equipment giant Eddie Bauer are the latest companies to announce that they will join a growing advertising boycott of Facebook and Instagram for the month of July over the social media giant’s failure to stop the spread of misinformation and dangerous content on its platforms. 

On Tuesday, Magnolia became the first Hollywood company to join the boycott. The company, which distributed I Am Not Your Negro and Shoplifters, tweeted, “In solidarity with the #StopHateForProfit movement, Magnolia Pictures has chosen to stop advertising on Facebook and Instagram, starting immediately, through at least the end of July. We are seeking meaningful change at Facebook and the end to their amplification of hate speech.” 

In a statement posted to its website, Ben & Jerry’s said, “As of July 1st we will pause all paid advertising on Facebook and Instagram in the United States as part of the #StopHateForProfit campaign,” it added. “We call on Facebook, Inc. to take the clear and unequivocal actions called for by the campaign to stop its platform from being used to spread and amplify racism and hate.”

Last Wednesday, a group that included the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, Sleeping Giants, Color of Change, Free Press and Common Sense launched the #StopHateForProfit social media campaign that called on companies to suspend advertising on Facebook and its subsidiary Instagram for the month of July. 

In recent days, outdoor clothing firms Patagonia, The North Face and Arc’teryx, outdoor equipment company REI, tech companies Dashlane and Upwork have all said they will join the boycott.

Facebook has faced fierce criticism, externally and internally, in recent months for the misinformation and racist content spread on its platform, and in particular posts from President Donald Trump that have been widely condemned as dangerous or inciting violence. The company’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg has remained firm that Facebook will not regulate online speech. “I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldn’t be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online,” Zuckerberg said in an interview with Fox News last month. “Private companies probably shouldn’t be, especially these platform companies, shouldn’t be in the position of doing that.”

 

In solidarity with the #StopHateForProfit movement, Magnolia Pictures has chosen to stop advertising on Facebook and Instagram, starting immediately, through at least the end of July. We are seeking meaningful change at Facebook and the end to their amplification of hate speech.

— Magnolia Pictures (@MagnoliaPics) June 23, 2020

We need a break @facebook. Effective immediately, we will be halting our global advertising with @Facebook & @Instagram until at least the end of July in support of the #stophateforprofit campaign & donating those dollars towards building more inclusive outdoors.

— Arc’teryx (@Arcteryx) June 23, 2020

We will pause all paid advertising on Facebook and Instagram in the US in support of the #StopHateForProfit campaign. Facebook, Inc. must take the clear and unequivocal actions to stop its platform from being used to spread and amplify racism and hate. >>>https://t.co/7OpxtcbDGg pic.twitter.com/I989Uk9V3h

— Ben & Jerry’s (@benandjerrys) June 23, 2020

For 82 years, we have put people over profits. We’re pulling all Facebook/Instagram advertising for the month of July. #StopHateForProfit

Learn more: https://t.co/XCQSnUO8XJ https://t.co/Jp1GaKdCUN

— REI (@REI) June 19, 2020

In support of the #StopHateForProfit initiative, Eddie Bauer will suspend all paid ads on Facebook and Instagram through the end of July, effective immediately.
Learn more here: https://t.co/0oMnahL1Mh

— Eddie Bauer (@eddiebauer) June 24, 2020

Dashlane is joining the #StopHateForProfit campaign, and is stopping all paid and organic posts on Facebook and Instagram through July at minimum. pic.twitter.com/U3EKXmqJgn

— Dashlane (@dashlane) June 22, 2020

Upwork is hitting pause on hate with no Facebook advertising in July. #StopHateForProfit

Learn more at https://t.co/rBCCtMXJZlhttps://t.co/ZpRAL6iSZU

— Upwork (@Upwork) June 19, 2020

We’re in. We’re Out @Facebook #StopHateForProfit

Learn more: https://t.co/uAT7u7mjBG https://t.co/jVxTIH5ThQ

— The North Face (@thenorthface) June 19, 2020

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

— Patagonia (@patagonia) June 21, 2020