Playboy and Will Ferrell have embraced the #DeleteFacebook movement in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica fiasco, joining other prominent Facebook users who have taken similar steps a few days ago.
A week ago Cher announced she deleted her Facebook ago. Then, late last week Elon Musk deleted the Tesla and SpaceX Facebook pages. Soon after that, Apple CEO Tim Cook asked for “well-crafted” privacy regulations in light of Facebook’s newest privacy scandal.
Playboy last night announced that it’s leaving Facebook, as it doesn’t want to expose its fans to “reported practices.”
“[The] recent news about Facebook’s alleged mismanagement of users’ data has solidified our decision to suspend our activity on the platform at this time,” Playboy said in a press release.
“There are more than 25 million fans who engage with Playboy via our various Facebook pages, and we do not want to be complicit in exposing them to the reported practices. That is why we have announced that we will be leaving Facebook’s platform, deactivating the Playboy accounts that Playboy Enterprises manages directly.”
Separately, comedian Will Ferrell published a post on Facebook — yes, the irony doesn’t escape us — that he’s leaving Facebook in 72 hours after his fans had a chance to view the announcement.
“I know I am not alone when I say that I was very disturbed to hear about Cambridge Analytica’s misuse of millions of Facebook users’ information to undermine our democracy and infringe on our citizens’ privacy,” the actor said. “I was further appalled to learn that Facebook’s reaction to such a violation was to suspend the account of the Cambridge Analytica whistleblower.”
“In this day and age, with misinformation running rampant, it’s important that we protect the truth, as well as those who work to bring it to light,” Ferrell continued. “I can no longer, in good conscience, use the services of a company that allowed the spread of propaganda and directly aimed it at those most vulnerable.”
He did say in his post that he appreciated over the years Facebook’s marketing power, both for his professional and personal projects, charities included, even though he “always had an aversion to social media.”
Aside from big names leaving the platform and the whole #DeleteFacebook movement, Facebook has plenty of other Cambridge Analytica-related issues. The stock is still tanking, regulators are investigating Facebook (again), Mark Zuckerberg will have to face Congress, and lawsuits are incoming.
