WASHINGTON: US ice-cream giant Ben & Jerry’s said it will stop buying advertising space on Facebook, joining a growing list of prominent brands boycotting the social network over its perceived failure to crack down on hate speech and incitements to violence.
“As of July 1st we will pause all paid advertising on Facebook and Instagram in the United States,” the Vermont-based confectioner said Tuesday.
The company added it was also joining the “Stop the Hate for Profit” initiative supported by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and other rights groups.
“We call on Facebook, Inc. to take the clear and unequivocal actions called for by the campaign to stop its platform from being used to spread and amplify racism and hate,” Ben & Jerry’s said.
It is the latest company to pledge to halt ad spending on Facebook over concerns hate speech and incitement to violence are not being moderated on the platform.
Sporting goods maker Patagonia added its name to the list Sunday, joining rivals North Face and REI and the freelance staffing agency Upwork.
The #StopHateForProfit campaign comes as Facebook faces growing pressure over its hands-off approach to misinformation and inflammatory posts, including from US President Donald Trump.
The social media company made an estimated $70 billion annually from ads, the coalition claimed in a statement on the ADL website.
The campaign has criticized Zuckerberg’s decision to not moderate the US president, after the CEO again defended his decision not to limit Trump’s often controversial, incendiary and inaccurate posts.
Twitter’s decision in May to hide one of Trump’s tweets for “glorifying violence” exposed turmoil at Facebook, with employees rebelling against Zuckerberg’s refusal to sanction false or inflammatory posts by the president.
Facebook last week said it removed ads by Trump’s re-election campaign that contained a symbol used in Nazi Germany for political prisoners, a move welcomed by rights activists.
US ice cream giant Ben & Jerry’s joins Facebook ad boycott over hate speech
https://arab.news/bdhe9
US ice cream giant Ben & Jerry’s joins Facebook ad boycott over hate speech
- Latest company to pledge to halt ad spending on Facebook over concerns hate speech and incitement
- Social media company made an estimated $70 billion annually from ads
Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in red at 10,947
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index dipped on Thursday, losing 208.20 points, or 1.87 percent, to close at 10,947.25.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR4.80 billion ($1.28 billion), as 14 of the listed stocks advanced, while 253 retreated.
The MSCI Tadawul Index decreased, down 25.35 points, or 1.69 percent, to close at 1,477.71.
The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu lost 217.90 points, or 0.92 percent, to close at 23,404.75. This came as 24 of the listed stocks advanced, while 43 retreated.
The best-performing stock was Musharaka REIT Fund, with its share price up 2.12 percent to SR4.34.
Other top performers included Al Hassan Ghazi Ibrahim Shaker Co., which saw its share price rise by 1.18 percent to SR17.20, and Saudi Industrial Export Co., which saw a 0.8 percent increase to SR2.51.
On the downside, Abdullah Saad Mohammed Abo Moati for Bookstores Co. was among the day’s biggest decliners, with its share price falling 9.3 percent to SR39.
National Medical Care Co. fell 8.98 percent to SR128.80, while National Co. for Learning and Education declined 6.35 percent to SR116.50.
On the announcements front, Red Sea International said its subsidiary, the Fundamental Installation for Electric Work Co., has entered into a framework agreement with King Salman International Airport Development Co.
In a Tadawul statement, the company noted that the agreement establishes the general terms and conditions for the execution of enabling works at the King Salman International Airport project in Riyadh.
Under the 48-month contract, the scope of work includes the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.
Utilizing a re-measurement model, specific work orders will be issued on a call-off basis, with the final contract value to be determined upon the completion and measurement of actual quantities executed.
The financial impact of this collaboration is expected to begin reflecting on the company’s statements starting in the first quarter of 2026, the statement said.
The company’s share price reached SR23.05, marking a 2.45 percent decrease on the main market.
