Facebook freeze — why celebs won't post on Instagram & Facebook today
You might have seen that celebrities with millions of followers on Instagram and Facebook are “freezing” their social media accounts on Wednesday in support of the Stop Hate for Profit campaign.
The latest to join the movement is reality TV star and business mogul Kim Kardashian-West, who said she cannot watch America being “split apart.”
Here's what you need to know:
What is Stop Hate for Profit?
The campaign by civil rights and advocacy organisations seeks to hold social media companies accountable for, among other things, misinformation, racial bias and hate speech that is spread on their platforms.
The movement was started in July and has garnered the support of thousands of individuals and major companies, including Coca-Cola and Microsoft, which stopped advertising their products on the platforms. The movement said Facebook, unlike YouTube, Twitter and Reddit, refuses to take accountability and do away with the spread of hate on its platforms.
Facebook silent about demands
The New York Times reported that Facebook declined to comment.
Jim Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media, a non-profit organisation which is part of the campaign, said celebrities including musician Demi Lovato will, after the 24-hour blackout, use the platforms to share educational and informative information.
What do celebs say?
Kim announced via Twitter on Tuesday that she will not post on her personal and business accounts for 24 hours. The launch of her shape wear maternity line, Skims, has been postponed to Thursday.
Kim has more than 30m followers on Facebook and 188m on Instagram. Skims has two million followers on the app.
Actress Jennifer Lawrence said Facebook deliberately spreads misinformation and accused the company, which also owns Instagram, of putting profits over the livelihoods of its customers.
I love that I can connect directly with you through Instagram and Facebook, but I can’t sit by and stay silent while these platforms continue to allow the spreading of hate, propaganda and misinformation - created by groups to sow division and split America apart pic.twitter.com/XkxzABn7qw
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) September 15, 2020
In support of the #stophateforprofit movement, @Skims will be going dark on our brand Instagram and Facebook accounts tomorrow. We will also be pushing the launch of our new Maternity collection by a day to Thursday September 17 at 9am.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) September 15, 2020
Facebook ignores hate & disinformation on their site. This is not an “operational mistake.” It is a deliberate decision to put profits over people and democracy.
— Jennifer Lawrence - Represent.Us (@JLawrence_RepUs) September 14, 2020
Tell Facebook to #StopHateForProfit. https://t.co/7TSovLMug2 pic.twitter.com/lJts6Ampgp
These tools were not built to spread hate, violence, and misinformation, but when companies and individuals benefit from these behaviors, financially or otherwise, it becomes their responsibility to mitigate the unintended utilization. #StopHateForProfit https://t.co/s54jmjfmRg
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) September 15, 2020
Amazing - every hour, more people are joining tomorrow's Instagram freeze to tell Facebook to #StopHateForProfit
— Sacha Baron Cohen (@SachaBaronCohen) September 15, 2020
Advertisers, FB employees and users are fed up.
Facebook - stop spreading the hate, lies and conspiracies that inflame our societies!@NAACP@ColorOfChange @ADL pic.twitter.com/lrI8l7SRfY
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