Lessons from the Facebook Blackout 1:12
New York (CNN Business) -
Fashion soap brand Lush Cosmetics will stop using Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat starting Friday, in a radical move to draw attention to how those platforms are damaging health. mental of people.
The company said Monday that its accounts will be deactivated on November 26, the day after Thanksgiving, when most brands and retailers begin their social media campaigns to win over holiday gift shoppers.
Lush, which has more than 900 stores worldwide, including 240 in the United States and Canada, said it will stay out of those social media channels globally until the platforms ensure a more secure environment for its users.
Australia plans to make parental consent mandatory for minors to use social media
Although Lush is known for its organic and
cruelty-free
bath bombs, shampoos and soaps
, the brand also actively advocates for social and environmental causes such as Black Lives Matter, fights deforestation and promotes sustainability among its 659,000 Instagram followers, 275,000 followers. Twitter and more than a million Facebook followers.
It's not the first time that Lush, a brand favored by millennials and Gen Z, has tried to ditch social media.
The company made a similar attempt with its UK accounts in 2019 saying it was "tired of struggling with algorithms" and wanted to speak directly to its customers.
USA: Meta, under the microscope by Instragram 0:49
The latest effort, however, comes at a time when social media companies are under even more intense scrutiny about how their platforms may be contributing to mental and physical health issues, especially among younger individuals.
advertising
Facebook is currently in the middle of what is possibly the biggest crisis in its 17-year history due to issues related to hate speech and disinformation, which have been amplified on the platform.
CNN Poll: Three out of four adults think Facebook is making society worse
"As the inventor of bath bombs, I am committed to creating products that help people unwind, relax and pay attention to their well-being," Jack Constantine, Lush's chief digital officer and product inventor, said in a statement.
"Social media platforms have become the antithesis of this goal, with algorithms designed to keep people
scrolling
and prevent them from disconnecting and relaxing."
The company said it expects social media companies to post stricter good practice guidance.
Lush said it will remain active on Twitter and YouTube.
Social networks