Dutch companies TomTom and Heineken have joined an international advertising boycott against Facebook.
As one of the biggest social media outlets in the world, Facebook has a great responsibility to prevent the spread of fake news, hate speech and racism on its platform.
However, the company has been criticised for failing to address these issues. In response, companies around the world have started an international advertising boycott on Facebook, in the hopes that they will take heed of that and take action against the many problems the platform has.
Heineken stated that their boycott is based on concern over the “harmful content on social media.” Meanwhile, TomTom made their choice “in response to the critical discussions about inciting hatred and division on social platforms”. Heineken will pause their advertisement on the platform for the month of July, while TomTom has no end date yet to their boycott, reports NOS.
The campaign started mid-June by US civil rights movements and has gained traction worldwide. So far, 241 companies are participating in the boycott.
More companies to join
The World Federation of Advertisers, of which Heineken and TomTom are members, conducted an internal survey about the boycott. 58 out of 112 member companies responded to the survey, and a third of them reported they are planning or considering to join the boycott.
Two other Dutch companies that are part of the Federation expressed doubts, namely Shell and FrieslandCampina. Shell says that it is best to talk to Facebook in order to find a solution. FrieslandCampina wishes to take a critical look at the situation, and will first conduct an internal consultation before making a choice.
Do you think more companies should join the boycott against Facebook? Let us know in the comments!
Feature Image: Anthony Quintano/Wikimedia Commons
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