Ben & Jerry's stops Twitter ads over hate speech

Lifestyle

Published: 2023-06-03 16:18

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 03:34


Ben & Jerry's stops Twitter ads over hate speech
Ben & Jerry's stops Twitter ads over hate speech

Ben & Jerry's, the ice cream company, has announced its intention to cease all paid advertising spending on Twitter in line with their commitment to advancing progressive values.

The decision comes as Ben & Jerry's expressed deep concern over the recent developments at Twitter, particularly following Elon Musk's acquisition of the platform.

The company issued a statement in which it said that it has observed a drastic increase in hate speech, coupled with a noticeable decline in content moderation.

Furthermore, according to the company, Musk himself has "doubled down on dangerous anti-democratic lies and white nationalist hate speech." These changes have transformed Twitter into an environment that poses threats and dangers to individuals from diverse backgrounds, the statement said.

It added that the list of diverse backgrounds includes "Black, Brown, trans, gay, women, people with disabilities, Jewish, Muslim and the list goes on."

Ben & Jerry's deemed the situation both ‘morally indefensible and detrimental to business.’

In light of these concerns, Ben & Jerry's said that it proudly stands in solidarity with its partners in the business, civil rights, and human rights community to oppose the "harmful transformations occurring at Twitter."

Their statement added that the company firmly believes that "Musk and Twitter’s toxicity and tacit endorsement of hate and violence" contradict the core values that Ben & Jerry's upholds.

The ice cream manufacturer called on Twitter to take immediate action to eradicate "extremist and violent content" from its platform. Until this step is taken, Ben & Jerry's has made the decision to halt all monetary transactions with Twitter. They also urged all businesses and partners to join them in this stance.

While Ben & Jerry's said that it intends to maintain a presence on Twitter for the time being to connect with its community, the company will closely monitor developments in this space. They said that they remain committed to revisiting their presence on the platform as needed, taking into account any progress or changes made to address the current concerns.

The statement issued by Ben & Jerry's said that the company’s decision to cease paid advertising on Twitter reflects their dedication to promoting progressive values and ensuring a safe and inclusive online environment for all individuals.