The Walt Disney Company has joined other corporations in a Facebook and Facebook-owned Instagram advertising boycott. The social media platform has been facing advertising revenue losses resulting from growing backlash regarding the company’s policies and actions on hate speech.
According to research conducted by Pathmatics Inc., Disney was Facebook’s top U.S. advertiser for the first six months of 2020. Pathmatics noted that Disney spent $210 million on Facebook ads for Disney+ just in the U.S. during that period. Disney has multiple verified social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. The Wall Street Journal originally reported on Disney’s cutbacks.
The boycott began after Civil Rights Groups argued that Facebook hasn’t properly enforced their misinformation and hate speech policies. In response, Facebook noted that they spend billions of dollars a year to keep it’s online community safe and “continuously work with outside experts to review and update our policies.”
Facebook also emphasized “We know we have more work to do, and we’ll continue to work with civil rights groups, (the Global Alliance for Responsible Media coalition), and other experts to develop even more tools, technology and policies to continue this fight.”
Other companies involved in the boycott include Unilever, Starbucks, Ford, Verizon, LEGO, and Target. This move is in solidarity with the “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign. Even though they have cut advertising, Disney has not yet affiliated themselves with the movement.