Selena Gomez shares private message to Mark Zuckerberg on hate speech: 'We have a serious problem'
Selena Gomez is the latest celebrity to accuse Facebook of spreading hate speech and misinformation, in a private message shared with fans.
“Mark & Sheryl,” the singer wrote to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg, in a note posted Friday on her Instagram Stories. “Selena here. It’s been a while since we sat down. We have a serious problem.”
Gomez, who has more than 77 million Facebook followers and 193 million on the Facebook-owned Instagram, stated that both sites “are being used to spread hate, misinformation, racism and bigotry” and challenged the executives to stop the phenomenon. “Please shut down groups and users focused on spreading hate speech, violence and misinformation. Our future depends on it.”
“This is an election year,” wrote the 28-year-old Rare Beauty makeup founder. “We cannot afford to have misinformation about voting” and called for “fact checking and accountability.”
“Hope to hear back from you ASAP,” she added.
Facebook did not immediately respond to Yahoo Entertainment’s request for comment.
Gomez did not cite the Stop Hate for Profit campaign, organized by the Anti-Defamation League, Color of Change, the NAACP and other civil rights organizations, but her request followed a mass Hollywood Instagram “freeze” that took place on Wednesday. Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, and Leonardo DiCaprio were just several of many celebs to stay offline for the cause.
In July, the Stop Hate for Profit campaign placed pressure on Facebook to eradicate hate speech with a highly-publicized advertising boycott.
“We are quickly approaching one of the most consequential elections in American history,” read a statement on the campaign’s website. “Facebook’s unchecked and vague ‘changes’ are falling dangerously short of what is necessary to protect our democracy.”
Earlier this month, Facebook announced it would ban new political ads the week before the Nov. 3 presidential election, along with voting misinformation, such as posts that suggest people will get COVID-19 if they head to the polls.
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