Microsoft joins movement to boycott Facebook, but with a twist

Due to Facebook’s relaxed reaction to numerous actual threats made to US citizens by President Donald Trump, there is a movement by numerous companies to withdraw their funding of Facebook in the hope that it will change its practices.

The list of companies taking part in the #StopHateForProfit campaign include big names like Herseys, Unilever, Verizon, Levi Straus and North Face, and now the list also seemingly includes Microsoft.

Axios reports that Microsoft suspended its advertising on Facebook and Instagram, initially only US and mow globally, starting in May this year.

“Based on concerns we had back in May we suspended all media spending on Facebook/Instagram in the US and we’ve subsequently suspended all spending on Facebook/Instagram worldwide,” Microsoft CMO Chris Capossela reportedly said in an internal Yammer post, responding to an employee’s question.

Capossela did not, however, come right out and say it was in response to Facebook’s Trump policies however, but merely said they did not want their ads to show up next to hate speech.

Unlike others Microsoft did not publicize their decision, saying they preferred to pressure companies directly for change. Capossela said they already gave Facebook conditions for the return of their ad dollars.

“The timeline on resuming our media spending is dependent on the positive actions they take, but I expect our pause will continue through August.”

“Our experience tells us that the most impactful means to effect genuine, long-term change is through direct dialogue and meaningful action with our media partners, including the suspension of real marketing dollars,” Capossela wrote. “We’ve also learned from experience that it doesn’t help our customers, our media partners, or Microsoft to publicize our media spend strategy, but to instead work directly with partners on positive change.”

via Neowin