This archive report was first published on 22 June 2020.
Facebook is facing growing pressure over its handling of hate speech and misinformation, with several major US advertisers pulling their ads from the platform.
Patagonia, the California-based sporting goods maker, joined the 'Stop the Hate for Profit' initiative on Sunday, following in the footsteps of rivals North Face and REI, as well as the freelance staffing agency Upwork.
Patagonia stated on Twitter that it was joining the campaign, saying: "We will pull all ads on Facebook and Instagram, effective immediately, through at least the end of July, pending meaningful action from the social media giant."
"Patagonia is proud to join the Stop Hate for Profit campaign," the company added. North Face, also based in California, was the first to join the campaign on Friday, tweeting: "We're in. We're Out," and later adding: "This includes all Facebook owned properties." The #StopHateForProfit appeal was supported by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, ColorOfChange, FreePress and the activist group Sleeping Giants. US President Donald Trump has also been criticized for his inflammatory posts, with the NAACP stating: "It is clear that Facebook and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, are no longer simply negligent, but in fact, complacent in the spread of misinformation, despite the irreversible damage to our democracy." Facebook vice president Carolyn Everson responded to the criticism, saying: "We deeply respect any brand's decision, and remain focused on the important work of removing hate speech and providing critical voting information. Our conversations with marketers and civil rights organizations are about how, together, we can be a force for good." Facebook has removed ads by Trump's re-election campaign that contained a symbol used in Nazi Germany for political prisoners, a move welcomed by rights activists.
