This archive report was first published on 26 June 2020.
Published on June 26, 2020, a growing list of major brands has joined the boycott of Facebook ads over concerns about hate speech and misinformation.
Verizon, the US telecommunications giant, has announced it will pause its advertising on Facebook until the social media platform can create a more effective solution to address these issues.
"We're pausing our advertising until Facebook can create an acceptable solution that makes us comfortable and is consistent with what we've done with YouTube and other partners," said John Nitti, Verizon's chief media officer.
The boycott, which is part of the "Stop the Hate for Profit" campaign, has been gaining momentum since the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called for the boycott in June 2020.
Facebook's policies on hate speech, incitement, and misinformation have been criticized for being inequitable, with the ADL's chief executive, Jonathan Greenblatt, stating that the social media giant's "haphazard" placement of advertising has allowed hateful and anti-Semitic rhetoric to spread.
Greenblatt pointed to an example in which a Verizon ad appeared next to a video from the conspiracy group QAnon, which drew on hateful and anti-Semitic rhetoric.
Facebook has made an estimated $70 billion annually from ads, but the company has been under increasing pressure to address its hands-off approach to misinformation and inflammatory posts, particularly by US President Donald Trump.
Other major brands, including Patagonia, North Face, REI, and Upwork, have also announced they will boycott Facebook ads.
