In June, the coalition Stop Hate For Profit issued a call to action asking companies to temporarily pause advertising on Facebook and Instagram to force the social networking sites to address “hate, bigotry, racism, antisemitism, and violence” on their platforms. Now hundreds of businesses and organizations — including the American Academy of Family Physicians — are joining a July advertising boycott of the social media sites.
According to a 2019 survey of Facebook users, more than 55% of respondents who had been harassed online said that at least some of that harassment was on Facebook.
Advertisers are calling for action from Facebook, which pulled in nearly $70 billion in ad revenue last year, to change that. Specifically, Stop Hate For Profit has outlined 10 initial steps the company can take to improve accountability, decency, and consumer support on its platforms, including Instagram.
As family physicians, you see firsthand the impact this type of speech and harassment has on your patients and their health. The AAFP thought it was important to lend its voice to this cause by participating in the advertising boycott.
The Academy often uses paid social media as one way to ensure members stay informed in a timely manner about important things happening related to the AAFP. The AAFP will not be using that tactic in July, but here are a few things you can do to stay up to date:
- If you haven’t already, like the AAFP Facebook page so our organic (unpaid) posts will appear in your newsfeed.
- Visit the Academy’s events page to learn about upcoming events and register for those you want to attend.
- Visit AAFP News for frequent updates on a variety of family medicine topics.
- Watch your inbox for Academy emails.
Thank you for your support as we #stophateforprofit.