Verizon pauses Facebook ads amid growing boycott

Verizon has joined a growing list of companies pausing to buy ads on Facebook to force the social networking giant to do more to remove abusive content from its platform.

The boycott began earlier this month when six civil rights groups asked companies to stop advertising on Facebook in July to encourage the social network to do more against hate speech and misinformation. Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s, outdoor product seller Recreational Equipment Inc., better known as REI, and outdoor clothing brand The North Face have already announced their support for the boycott.

A Verizon spokeswoman said the company is pausing its Facebook ads, but is not boycotting the company.

“Our brand security standards have not changed,” said a Verizon spokeswoman in an email. “We stop advertising until Facebook can create an acceptable solution that makes us comfortable and consistent with what we did with YouTube and other partners.”

Facebook replied to Verizon’s move that it continues to work to remove hate speech from its platform.

“We respect each brand’s decision and continue to focus on the important work of eliminating hate speech and providing vital voting information,” said Carolyn Everson, vice president of Facebook’s global group of companies, in a statement. “Our discussions with marketers and civil rights organizations are about how we can be a driving force together.”

The Anti-Defamation League, NAACP, Sleeping Giants, Colors of Change, Free Press and Common Sense say the boycott of advertising on Facebook will put pressure on the company to support its $ 70 billion in annual advertising revenue to be used by people who are targeted by racism and hate and increase security for private groups on the website.

The groups are asking Facebook to make various changes, including creating a separate moderation pipeline for hate speech, which allows certain people who have been harassed or hated to speak to a live person on Facebook and tell advertisers how often their content has been shown next to posts that Facebook removed for misinformation or hate speech.

A Facebook spokeswoman did not answer questions about whether the company is considering any of these recommendations.

Verizon’s move came after the ADL sent an open letter to advertisers asking them to stop advertising on Facebook. According to the ADL, almost 100 brands have joined the boycott.

The rights groups say Facebook has allowed content that could cause violence against protesters who fight for racial justice after the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks and others. Facebook has been criticized for not removing a protest-related post from President Donald Trump that affected interest groups and even the company own employees said could incite violence.

“We welcome Verizon for joining this growing fight against hate and bigotry by pausing its advertising on Facebook platforms until people and security are profitable,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of ADL, in a statement . “This is how real changes are made.”