Blue Shield of California will support the Stop Hate for Profit initiative and suspend both advertising and all posts on Facebook and Instagram in July.
The Stop Hate for Profit coalition, which includes Color Of Change, NAACP, ADL, Sleeping Giants, Free Press, and Common Sense Media, has called on advertisers to pause ad spending on Facebook and Instagram for the month. The coalition, and companies that support it, are asking Facebook to address issues of racism across their platforms.
Blue Shield will donate the funds that it had planned to spend on advertising with Facebook and Instagram to a non-profit cause that supports social justice issues.
“Blue Shield of California stands against injustice and stands for equity. We are committed to using our voice, influence and power to inspire change. And this is one way we can do that,” said Blue Shield of California’s Kimberley Goode, senior vice president, External Affairs, and Jeff Robertson, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, in a statement to employees.
Blue Shield will also participate in Blackout Day on July 7th across all social media.