Sarah Tew / CNET
Viber, a messaging app with over 1 billion users, cuts all connections to Facebook, the company said on Thursday. According to Viber, the decision comes as a result of “Facebook’s data breaches and failure to fight violent rhetoric”.
As of now, the messaging app will cease all advertising spending on the social networking platform and plans to remove Facebook Connect, Facebook SDK and Giphy from the app by early July.
“Facebook continues to show poor judgment in understanding its role in today’s world,” said Vamel CEO Djamel Agaoua. “From the misuse of data by the company and the lack of privacy in its apps to its outrageous stance to avoid taking the necessary steps to protect the public from violent and dangerous rhetoric, Facebook has gone too far. We are not the arbiters of the truth, but the truth is that some people suffer from violent content and companies have to take a clear position. “
Viber CEO Djamel Agaoua.
Viber
Viber’s announcement refers to Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal as the main cause of concern and calls the platform Inability to curb the spread of hate speech after the murder of George Floyd “the last straw”.
Viber, owned by Japanese multinational Rakuten, hopes its decision will serve to “improve” NAACP’s Anti-Defamation League and #StopHateForProfit movement, which is asking Facebook advertisers to increase advertising spending in July in view of the spread to pause hate speech on the platform.
Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.