New York (CNN Business) – Fashion soap brand Lush Cosmetics will stop using Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat starting this Friday, in a radical decision to draw attention to how those platforms are harming people’s mental health.
The company said Monday that its accounts will be deactivated on November 26, the day after Thanksgiving, when most brands and retailers begin their social media campaigns to win over holiday gift shoppers.
Lush, which has more than 900 stores worldwide, including 240 in the United States and Canada, said it will stay out of those social media channels globally until the platforms ensure a more secure environment for its users.
Although Lush is known for its organic bath bombs, shampoos and soaps and cruelty-free, the brand also actively advocates for social and environmental causes such as Black Lives Matter, fights deforestation, and promotes sustainability among its 659,000 Instagram followers, 275,000 Twitter followers, and more than one million Facebook followers.
It’s not the first time that Lush, a brand favored by millennials and Gen Z, has tried to ditch social media. The company made a similar attempt with its UK accounts in 2019 saying it was “tired of struggling with algorithms” and wanted to speak directly to its customers.
The latest effort, however, comes at a time when social media companies are under even more intense scrutiny about how their platforms may be contributing to the mental and physical health problems, especially among younger individuals.
Facebook is currently in the middle of what is possibly the biggest crisis in its 17-year history due to issues related to hate speech and disinformation, which have been amplified on the platform.
“As the inventor of bath bombs, I am committed to creating products that help people unplug, relax and pay attention to their well-being,” said Jack Constantine, Lush’s chief digital officer and inventor of products, in a statement. “Social media platforms have become the antithesis of this goal, with algorithms designed to keep people doing scroll and prevent them from disconnecting and relaxing. “
The company said it expects social media companies to post stricter good practice guidance. Lush said it will remain active on Twitter and YouTube.
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