From November 26th, the British retailer will close its accounts on the four social media platforms, which it compares to a “dark and dangerous alley” and “places no one should be encouraged to go to”.
Lush said that the latest revelations by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen were the decisive factors behind this decision, which is intended to create a “safer environment for users”.
Avoid risk for customers
“There is now overwhelming evidence that we are at risk when using social media. I am unwilling to expose my customers to this risk, so it is time to get it out of the mix, ”said Mark Constantine, co-founder and CEO of the company.
Lush UK, which is known for its political statements as well as for its omnipresence in shopping streets, had already announced in 2019 that it would no longer publish posts on Facebook and the Instagram platform, which is also operated by Meta. However, since that announcement, the company has made a number of posts on Instagram.
Lush accounts in other countries, including the United States and Australia, continue to update both platforms on a regular basis.
Farewell is a sharp sword
This isn’t the first time a company has accused Facebook of hosting malicious content:
Last year, companies like Adidas, Unilever and the US telecommunications provider Verizon suspended their advertising spending on Facebook for a month. In May, global coffee chain Starbucks was reportedly considering abandoning Facebook entirely, citing constant difficulty moderating hateful comments on its pages.
But while companies have taken steps to criticize the social media giant, few of them have lasted. Many of the companies that participated in the advertising boycott in July 2020 are marketing their products on Facebook again, and Starbucks continues to be actively represented on Meta’s social media platforms.
In the case of Lush, the company says its new social media policy will roll out in all 48 countries it operates in.
“People and their time are the currency of these channels, and we don’t want our content to be used by hidden algorithms that aim to keep people trapped on a channel,” said the company. Despite the problems these platforms have with hate speech, Lush said it will continue to use Twitter and YouTube to communicate with customers.
(fest / news.ch with agencies)
– .
