Why I am Giving Up Facebook, Google, and Amazon for Lent
(and Challenging You to Do the Same!)
In 2008, I accidentally endorsed the Republican Party Platform – or so it seemed. And this was confusing, since I’d written about why I couldn’t support their positions on the issues and wouldn’t be voting for their candidate. I noticed that the AdSense block on my sidebar was showing political ads. Though politics has never been the primary focus of this blog, it stands to reason – algorithmically speaking – that political ads would appear alongside political opinion posts. But what I hadn’t anticipated was that they would be exclusively Republican ads – endorsing candidates and positions I opposed.
Horrified at the larger implications of this, I forcibly ripped AdSense off my sites – and Google has since implemented features that let users block certain types of content, such as political ads, ads for cigarettes or drugs, ads for sex toys, ads for casinos and online gambling. Companies can also block their ads from appearing on certain domains, and this is an important feature when placing ads through a third-party service. It’s important for brands to be able to control their image and message and to comply with their own standards of business conduct.
Third parties sometimes try to wash their hands of all responsibility in the name of doing what their clients want them to do. Within the bounds of the law, that’s fine – that’s their choice. I don’t object to companies choosing to advertise on Breitbart; I simply don’t want to support them in profiting from hate and bigotry. I don’t want to turn a blind eye to the hypocrisy of companies that spend their ad dollars on a site that works to further divide the American people – not just along political party lines, but on issues of race, ethnicity, religion, gender – issues that go to the core of who we are, as human beings – when this violates their own corporate principles and standards. I don’t want to support them in profiting from ads placed on a site that, directly and indirectly, harms those advertisers’ employees and customers. That’s my choice.
Over 1,300 companies have made the same choice, and I applaud them. For some, ‘It wasn’t even a question’: The simple calculation for pulling advertising off Breitbart. I’m proud and happy to work for one of them, and relieved that I don’t have to boycott my cell phone company or Twitter. But Facebook, Google, and Amazon? Really? You are breaking my heart. How Do Google, Amazon, And Facebook Justify Advertising With Breitbart?
“Google and Facebook seem to consider Breitbart’s hate speech like any other ‘political affiliation or beliefs’ ― not unrepentant hate speech that degrades entire religions and genders. Both companies, in effect, are normalizing and condoning hate speech as acceptable political expression.”
Also, ads are commercial speech – no one is saying Breitbart doesn’t have the First Amendment right to spew offensive opinions, so long as they’re not inciting unlawful acts and hate crimes; we’re saying that we don’t want our dollars supporting them while they do it.
It’s hard to quit you @Facebook, @Amazon, @Google but we are parting ways for Lent.
Mechanics of a Boycott
You cannot change the world by leaving it.
This is the epiphany I had, last year, after deactivating my Facebook account for nearly a month in protest of their stance on kiddie porn – their multiple replies of “This does not violate our Community Standards,” and their silence when confronted on it on both Facebook and Twitter. Others reported the same images and got the same responses, so this was not merely a one-off or a fluke. The image in question was an extremely graphic pen-and-ink illustration of two small children engaging in a sex act with a smiling adult woman. If there is any doubt in your mind, this is not merely disgusting – not merely a “violation of community standards” – it is illegal in the US, where Facebook is headquartered. The page in question was later closed by the owner, after Facebook deemed a reported nude photo of an adult woman “a violation of community standards.” Facebook had declined to take action, and was eventually able to wash its hands of any responsibility for doing so.
And so I left – angry, disgusted, and disappointed, I deactivated my Facebook account. It was surprisingly easy to do. I didn’t miss it much. I did notice, with dismay, how many other sites I log into, using Facebook credentials. Deactivating my account was eye-opening.
Unfortunately, I missed my Facebook friends and they missed me. Many of them also missed the explanation for my absence, which was then hidden from them by my deactivating my account. And it was painfully clear that my sulking in the corner wasn’t making a dent in Facebook’s bottom line – or, more importantly, influencing change.
Although I’m not Catholic, I do greatly admire Pope Francis. It hit me: He sees sin in the world, but doesn’t change it by jumping off a cliff or living as a reclusive hermit. He reaches out to all people with firm resolve and compassionate persuasion. When viewed in that light, to think that I could simply deactivate my Facebook account and effect change was nothing more than hubris.
So, this year, I’m taking a temporary break. I’m not deactivating my account, and while I’d hoped to change my privacy settings so that all past posts were visible only to me, that’s not possible. They are now set to “Friends only,” and that will have to do. I will be posting a link to this blog, and trying hard to mindfully neglect some of my favorite sites: Facebook, Google, and Amazon. After all, addiction is habit, and social media habits are hard to break, especially when they’re so well-integrated into our lives and our mobile phones.
Meanwhile, I challenge you to join me in neglecting Facebook, Google, and Amazon or using them mindfully – and as a platform for speaking out firmly and resolutely against hate speech and other, more subtle forms of bigotry.
Facebook Neglect Strategy
Set your posts to “Friends Only” (making it somewhat harder for them to use your posts in marketing efforts).
Then, check out this page, and share it widely:
Next, go to your Facebook Ads settings. Review how Facebook ads work, and mindfully set your preferences here.
Think they know too much about you, based on past posts? They probably do. Want to see what marketing categories they’ve lumped you into? You can also remove yourself from your assigned categories, if you want to – just hover over them and click the X in the upper right corner of each one you don’t like:
I’ll admit that I’m impressed they’ve pegged me as politically “moderate.” It’s accurate, but it’s about as astutely observant as people who correctly identify me as an introvert. Introverts can be outgoing and friendly, too. It may put us into a three-day coma, afterwards, but we can be!
I’d rather receive relevant ads than random ads, so I don’t generally turn off the ad preferences altogether. It’s nice to know that I can self-select the categories to opt out of. I’m also a tiny bit impressed that they can see through my occasional attempts to **** with them, and haven’t put me into some really weird categories.
Post ONE time: Let friends know how else they can keep in touch with you. Then leave quietly for the next 30-40 days; no fanfare or drama needed. If you continue to use the site, consider sharing positive posts about the companies that have stood up against hate, in spite of the inevitable, trollish backlash, before their wallets forced them to do so. Shop these companies first, and consider whether you really need anything from the ones still advertising on sites that spread hate and fear.
Google Neglect Strategy
Well, this one could be a challenge.
At first, my brilliant plan was just to use DuckDuckGo as my search engine. Then it hit me: I have to lay off the GMail, too, if I’m going to be a purist about this. That may have to wait until I set up my new PC, because although I do have email accounts under my own domain, keeping up with them is just not as easy as keeping up with GMail. With any luck, Outlook will run more efficiently on the new PC and I’ll be able to cut the cord. But wait…
Microsoft isn’t on the confirmed list from Sleeping Giants. Nor is Yahoo. And I can’t stand webmail. Any suggestions? Besides, “switch to Linux”?
Just don’t look for me on Google+. I’ve removed AdSense, and vow not to click any AdChoices ads, anywhere, unless Google and other ad networks that use it stop supporting hate speech.
Meanwhile, you can go learn how Google ads work, and how you can set your Google ad preferences.
How many sites do I connect with via Google credentials? The list of things that will break, if I don’t use Google at all, is daunting. Pass the Advil.
Note that Taboola sponsored links also appear on Breitbart. If you’ve never noticed, Taboola (and Outbrain, too) run most of the ads that masquerade as “related content” – they even appear on far too many legitimate websites. They’re notorious for click-baity images and headlines that are not much more than a front for ads and sensationalized, fake “news” stories on pages and pages heavily weighed down by ads.
Amazon Neglect Strategy
This one hurts. As a Prime Member who has already renewed for the year, I’ll be missing out on easy shopping, good deals, free two-day shipping, and binge-watching the few TV shows and movies they throw our way without adding on subscriptions to Starz or HBO or other cable providers. They’re getting as bad about those add-on, package deals as a regular cable provider.
It’s time I rediscover shopping local. And perhaps it’s time, too, I ponder the environmental impact of free, two-day shipping. And I’m really digging @Netflix – if it’s still advertising on Breitbart, it’s only to be a thorn in their side, no doubt.
Meanwhile, I do have other, more serious concerns:
Kudos to @HP, which is on the confirmed list of companies that have opted not to advertise on Breitbart; however, ads prominently featuring their products still appear there via @Amazon. Anyone selling products on Amazon should be concerned about this. As an author, I am.
If you can’t quite cut the cord on Amazon Prime, and you’re concerned about folks in Congress who can’t tell facts from “alternative facts,” consider sending them a copy of A New Leaf for Lyle. This is a non-partisan suggestion; the book is a gentle, loving reminder of how lying damages trust, as well as how important trust is in a good relationship. Or, shop Amazon – shop it lots. Use smile.amazon.com and set your charity to ACLU or Planned Parenthood.
Where to Find Me
Like I said, unless you’re ready to cut the cord for good, there’s no point deactivating or deleting accounts. But for the next month or so, I’d prefer it if you’d comment here on the blog or reach me on Twitter @HollyJahangiri. (To reach me privately, go ahead and use email – or text messaging.) I will be ignoring Facebook, Google, and Amazon as best I can. Because I do think that corporations – especially if they want to pretend to be people in order to claim Constitutional rights – ought to behave in ways that are morally and ethically sound towards one another, their employees, and their customers in all the parts of the world where they do business. I’m all for them maintaining a certain amount of political neutrality; to do otherwise would alienate people on both sides of the aisle. But there does come a point where we all need to draw a line and say:
But does doing this for Lent have any results or meaning in the Real World?
Mayhaps you will use all this new-found time to do something …..
This will be interesting to read about later on!
I hope that it has meaning and results; we shall see. I know that I can fill the time either way. 🙂 My blog will be happy; I think it was starting not to recognize me.
Sometimes it’s good just to reflect, mindfully, on why we choose the things we choose, and whether they do have any effect or not, and where our “line in the sand” really is. To be honest, if I were SURE it would make a difference, I could give up all three sites in a heartbeat and never look back. I think probably the best I can hope for is to raise some awareness and encourage other users of them to put pressure on them to change. I learned years ago, you don’t hop in the toilet and say “Goodbye, cruel world!” unless you’re prepared to flush. It’s too humiliating, trying to make excuses and beg to be let back in, if you decide you’ve made a mistake.
That said, I have no doubt I’ll enjoy the break. 😉 Might write more; might crochet more. Might get out into the sunshine more; might walk more. It’s all about choices.
And absolutely, I have and will continue to tell FB, G, and A what I think of their failure to adhere to their own policies, and as more of their ad buyers insist on blocking Breitbart, they may even listen – so it’s important to talk to them, as well. It’s making a difference already. The list is growing.
Make no mistake: This campaign is not about “destroying Breitbart.” It’s about asking companies we deal with not to support hate speech. Dollars talk, too.
The blog is where I comment, anyway, but it’s a good plan.
I would add actively telling FB and G and A that you are displeased with their choices – wouldn’t it be nice if Breitbart advertising could be dried up – depriving them of the ad revenue they need to function sounds exactly like karmic justice.
I use FB for friends and family, and have had the same kind of moderate (but Democrat) feed by carefully telling them what stuff was inappropriate and why.
Most people skip the telling them step, especially when it seems millions have already done it and gotten nowhere.
Boycotts work, though, and if they can’t remove blatant hate speech (the illegal kind) and books (ditto), they should receive the consequences.
I’m still mad at the mainstream media implying that Trump was equivalent to anything other than a t*rd before the election, and thus legitimizing and normalizing what was patently neither legitimate nor normal – and I blame them entirely (as Jon Stewart did the other night, but I’ve been saying since way before the election) for the mess we’re now in.
Hope your fast has the right effects for you – I will follow you to the extent I can. Pope Francis makes me proud to be Catholic; this has not entirely always been the case. But even he is just one man.
Pope Francis leads by example. Whether you’re Catholic or not, it’s apparent that he lives his values, walks the walk. He’s in the trenches with the least of his flock; he’s not sitting up in his palace preaching. No, this has not always been the case – that last Pope, well, I shouldn’t talk, but really it’s like any other world leader – we’re too interconnected not to comment on people who wield great power over so many. And HIS predecessor, while charming and popular, was not the SPIRITUAL LEADER that Pope Francis has been all along. (He served to make Catholicism look cheerful and approachable rather than dour, guilt-ridden, and penitent ALL the time, but Pope Francis has been a better shepherd to us ALL, even us non-Catholics, and I think that’s what a Pope should strive to be.) My grandfather was Catholic; I went to a Catholic high school. 🙂 I enjoyed Theology classes and community service, even if I’m firmly UCC with progressive attitudes.
PS: Do I want to turn Google ads based on my preferences OFF or leave them where supposedly I can cancel individual ones?
I don’t pay much attention to ads, since I have AdBlocker.
Thanks.
It’s just a choice. Some people think it’s “creepy” that “Google knows what they were looking at on Amazon,” or whatever. It’s a COOKIE and an algorithm. It’s not someone sitting there looking at a billion users’ shopping habits and giving a rat’s patoot. I leave it alone; for the most part, I’d rather see ads for stuff I might actually be interested in than ads for tractors or something. I don’t use AdBlocker, for the simple reason that “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.” Do I want to pay to use all my favorite sites, or would I rather they were supported by ad revenues? It’s not like any of us get to run sites for free; mine costs a few hundred a year, between domain names and web hosting. I do not even come close to making that back. If I had tens of thousands of visitors, my webhost would push me to a more expensive plan (or try to). Lovely problem to have, IF you make any money from your sites. Not so great if you don’t. If I use the site and enjoy it, I don’t want to make it impossible for them to continue operating unless they start charging a fee every time I want to visit.
I tried turning off AdBlocker on a site I frequent, and was bowled over by wiggling howling ads – over 50 on one page I checked. Page loading slowed to a crawl – it took far longer to load than I ever spend on the page.
I put it back on. If you want me to let your ads show, it can’t be an experience like that. I’d happily pay the site an annual fee if that were an option (must check again).
No wonder you like it here!! No annoying ads!!
This should be an interesting challenge for you. As you can see, some of it is almost impossible to do thoroughly. It’s the same as my boycott against Nestle; they have over 8,000 products and there’s no way I can possibly know them all.
I’ve got no ideas for you on any of these fronts except Facebook, which you’ve already covered. I’m probably not going to join you on this quest, but I support your effort mentally. I have tried cutting back on the Big G but I’m having mixed results; guess that’ll have to do for now.
Instagram is owned by Facebook. That occurred to me last night, too. *sigh* Like I said, it may be almost impossible – but to join me mentally on this means to consciously make yourself more aware of all the tendrils these folks have into your daily life, and affirmatively code to allow or block that, thinking about WHY (pros AND cons).
There are plenty of sites without ads.
I come for the conversations that sometimes ensue after you post.
Aww. 🙂 Thank you. (And I know – I was just teasing. Considering I just took the last ads off my site. I am giving up ever earning the last $4 or whatever it’ll take for Google to actually cut me a check.)
I’m not leaving any of my social media sites, but I’m spending much less time on each. Most of the time I’m on Facebook these days, I have the dog in my lap and we’re searching for animal videos.
Recently I’ve rediscovered reading books for pleasure after a long spell of having no time to read. Fiction and nonfiction, new authors, politics and inspiration, I’m devouring all of it. (My favorite recent read is Deep Work by Cal Newport.) And writing. I’m doing that too. Life is better without too much internet.
That’s two recommendations for Deep Work this week! One of the members of my Toastmasters Club gave a speech on it, Wednesday, and I was intrigued. OF course, I suspect he’s preaching to the choir here, with me…
I think you’re right. Life with a lot less Internet is more engaging. But then again, I miss my friends who live in the little box on my lap. 🙂 And I should know better than to start these things on or just before my birthday. Dammit. (So glad I didn’t say I was truly boycotting Facebook! That’d be a LOT of crow I’d have to swallow.)