SCOTTISH Labour is boycotting Facebook in protest at the social media giant’s stance on hate speech.
The party will not buy adverts this month amid claims the company profits from inflammatory comment.
Leader Richard Leonard said: “Scottish Labour stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, and as part of this we are joining the advertising boycott of Facebook for the month of July.
“There is much more that Facebook can do to combat the spreading of hateful material, and we hope that this global movement can send a powerful message to Facebook.”
In a global campaign started in the US, more than 500 companies agreed to stop advertising on Facebook in a bid to force stronger action against hate speech.
Ford and Adidas announced plans to halt advertising, and they were joined by Honda, Verizon, Diageo and Unilever.
Critics have a list of 10 recommendations which they believe would help Facebook clamp down on hate speech and prioritise civil rights when moderating comment.
The movement has also reached the UK, where organisations are reviewing their Facebook spend.
In common with mainstream political parties, Scottish Labour pays for targeted ads and sponsored posts.
It is understood Labour at a UK level is also taking the same action.
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “In line with many other organisations across the world, Scottish Labour has paused spending money with Facebook for the month of July. This is to show that we stand against hate online, especially in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, and urge Facebook to take stronger steps to tackle it on their platforms.
“We are advising that local parties do the same. Party units and members may still post on Facebook, however, as the boycott is only in relation to spending money on advertising on the platform.”
Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, who is Facebook’s vice president of global affairs and communications, said on the company’s website that the firm “does not benefit from hate”.
He also accepted that critics are angry about the “rhetoric” posted on the platform by President Trump and others.
