Digicel joins Facebook ad boycott

Digicel has joined the likes of Coca-cola, Pepsi, Adidas and Starbucks, stopping all paid advertising on Facebook platforms globally for the month of July to protest racism and hate speech online.

In a release Tuesday, the telecoms company said the move is in solidarity with other brands who have moved to send a strong message to Facebook for failing "that enough is enough and force it into affirmative action instead of idly standing by as its platforms are used to spark and spread negative, damaging and violent messaging."

Group CEO Jean-Yves Charlier, said via the statement: “Everything we do across our 31 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific is with the aim of helping to create a world where no one gets left behind. And there’s no room in that world for the promotion of hate, bigotry, racism, antisemitism and violence.”

He said the company always seeks to lead with positivity and the spirit of inclusion and on behalf of its 7,000 diverse employees globally, its customers and communities, "we’re hitting pause on hate." "By standing together with the world’s best companies, our hope is that Facebook will be forced to put people above profits and do the right thing to help build a society where all people are respected and valued equally – as is their basic human right.”

The Stop Hate for Profit campaign is organised by US-based activist groups the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, and other organisations that are advocating that businesses help them to hit pause on hate by pausing their paid advertising activities on Facebook platforms for the month of July.

Digicel will also donate US$30,000 to advocacy group Jamaicans For Justice to assist in its work to ensure the rights of all Jamaicans and that there is equal opportunity for citizens to realise their full potential and enjoy a sense of wellbeing so that the culture is enhanced and respect shared.