CORPORATE BOYCOTT,FACEBOOK AD’s

Momentum is picking up to boycott advertisement on Face book and its subsidiary like Instagram. I understand more than 600 brands have publicly withdrawn their advertisement on face book. Major brand leaders like Uniliver, Starbuck, Coco Cola and Clorax to name a few. 98% of the total revenue of face book comes from these advertisement and in the year 2019 it amounted to $70 billion.

The boycott has been because of Face book‘s refusal to proactively remove hate contents and fast – check misleading information or lies in political advertisement. This is in wake of the “Black Lives Matter Protest”. Even employees of face book have supported the boycott.

Can misinformation on social media be accepted?  Face book and its subsidiary Whats App play a big role in opinion formation. In India both are major platform and our population is getting if not already addicted to it. The face book, Feed and Whats App are major source of quick information and circulation. The forwarding of information without checking authenticity is common in India. Public opinions are formed and debates start.

Face book has a policy of Community Standard and removes, blocks, messages, information, postings etc. which do not follow its policy and standards – so it claims. Hate Speech are not allowed. Face book fast – check non political ad contents and removes hate speech. It claims Hate speech , create an environment of intimation and exclusion, and in some cases may promote real worded violence.

In real terms how much of the policy and standards have been effective and are in place. The “Black Lives Matter Protest ‘case clearly reflects.

Does not Face book have to be more stringent on its responsibility towards social, human and natural justice? Being a big player in opinion formation,  the greater onus of spreading the true spirit of social and fundamentals of life, lies on them.  Face book has to comprehend and accept this. Once you become a big player people consider you as a big brother, they listen, accept and follow you more. This means your responsibilities are higher and have to act and conduct accordingly.

It is a good initiative by market forces to counter misinformation on social media and to tell the big wigs – there is a way however big and strong you are. May be as per analysis Face book may feel that such boycott may not affect them financially now to a great extend and corporate have to return to them but such opinions and doubts has created a dent and if now cured immediately, with time it will grow and then a day will come when they will be forced to relook at their policy, action and its implementation.   In India we believe “Truth always prevail”