Kim Kardashian West joins campaign calling for Facebook to take action against hate speech

Kim Kardashian West, who sits atop a social media empire, says she’s “freezing” her Facebook and Instagram accounts to combat misinformation that “undermines our democracy.”
The reality TV star tweeted Tuesday that she can no longer “sit by and stay silent” and plans to temporarily suspend her accounts the following day.
– only to take steps after people are killed. Misinformation shared on social media has a serious impact on our elections and undermines our democracy. Please join me tomorrow when I will be “freezing” my Instagram and FB account to tell Facebook to #StopHateForProfit.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) September 15, 2020
Kardashian West, 39, has been dubbed the “queen of social media,” with a staggering 188 million Instagram followers and more than 29 million fans on Facebook.
Facebook has faced increasing pressure to rein in hate speech. An independent review released in July criticized the social media giant for failing to develop a mechanism for protecting civil rights and for a generally hands-off approach towards hate speech, even in cases of violent posts.
The organization that Kardashian West tweeted about, Stop Hate for Profit, describes itself as an “ongoing campaign to hold social media companies accountable for hate on their platforms.”
The group announced other celebrities would be joining Kardashian West in freezing their social media accounts on Wednesday, including: Katy Perry, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jennifer Lawrence, model Naomi Campbell, director Judd Apatow, Ashton Kutcher, comedian Amy Schumer, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Kate Hudson, among several others.
“We are quickly approaching one of the most consequential elections in American history,” Stop Hate for Profit says on its site. “Facebook’s unchecked and vague ‘changes’ are falling dangerously short of what is necessary to protect our democracy.”
Kardashian West’s husband, rapper Kanye West, launched a presidential campaign in July. The 43-year-old entertainer has met the requirement to get his name on the ballot in several states, including Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and Vermont.
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