For those of you who have been with me for some period of time, you know that I feel very strongly that each of us has the power to make change for the better. It’s why we vote. It’s why we give back to our communities. It’s also the reason we make intentional choices about our consumption and the way we treat one another. I believe that we have more confidence to be our best selves in the world when we know that we are communicating who we really are via our clothing. It’s highly likely that you believe all of this, too, which is why you are a member of the Poplin community. Thanks very much for being here.

I’ve made no secret of my general values and also do my best to acknowledge that not everyone shares those values. And that’s just fine. I’m not interested in a world where we are all the same. It’s often been said that my superpower is to “see” people. And, I certainly work very hard to do that. I say all this to make sure that it is clear that I’m not interested in villainizing anyone for participating in any platform or for working at any company.

In fact, a large portion of my client base works in technology, including a number of people at Facebook. I absolutely believe that these folks are doing the best they possibly can to change the system from the inside. I don’t fault them for it. In fact, I admire the commitment and the willingness to do the very hard work it takes to change the machine. Any of us who have worked at large organizations know that just working somewhere does not give you power to control that organization.

But, Facebook absolutely does need to change in order for our society to flourish.

Each one of us has the voice to help push the company in that direction. The most powerful way to do that is to leave the platforms, and wait until they have addressed their issues before we return. And so, despite the danger that it may pose to my business, that’s what I’m doing. Many of you have asked why I’m leaving and I’ve avoided getting too specific thus far. But, I’ve realized that this is not helpful to you and diminishes the impact of my actions. Because I am not just leaving for myself, I’m leaving for all of us. And between you and me, I hope you decide to leave, too.

So, here’s a high-level list of the reasons that make it clear to me I can no longer participate in Facebook or Instagram. After all, if I’m still on Instagram, I’m just taking the easy way out. Yes! I’ll miss seeing you and your updates. Yes! It will be much more difficult for me to stay engaged in my local community. And yes! Connection is extremely important to me, now more than ever. But it must be done. And it must be done before the next presidential election. So, here I am. Doing it. And here’s why.

Top 5 Reasons Why I’m Taking my Personal Styling Business off of Facebook and Instagram

1. Most Human Trafficking on Social Media Takes Place on Facebook & Instagram

About 65% of underage victims recruited online in 2020 active criminal sex trafficking cases were recruited through Facebook, while 14% were recruited through Instagram, and 8% were recruited through Snapchat. (Fight the New Drug)

A 2020 federal human trafficking report showed that 41% of defendants in active sex trafficking cases met their victims on social media and 59% of online victim recruitment occurred on Facebook. (Human Trafficking Institute)

Whether you are talking about underage victims of sex trafficking or women who thought they were leaving their homelands for legitimate jobs only to find themselves in domestic slavery, the first point of contact is very frequently on Facebook or Instagram. Of course, no company can eliminate this risk. But, it sure feels like Facebook could put more resources into the effort. Learn more here and here .

2. Women are repeatedly victims of online abuse and Facebook does little to stop it

New research for this programme by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, shows how 97% of 330 accounts sending misogynistic abuse on Twitter and Instagram remained on the site after being reported. (BBC)

When a BBC reporter created a fake troll account to understand Facebook’s role in online abuse,

Our troll account was recommended more and more anti-women content by Facebook and Instagram, some involving sexual violence.

Cyberstalking and bullying is not new and is certainly not restricted to Facebook and Instagram. However, “a survey revealed that more than half of the reports that women lodge about harassment on Facebook are met with no action from the social media company.” (The Guardian) This gives a strong impression that decreasing online harassment against women isn’t a high priority.

3. The platform’s role in the January 6th Insurrection

The capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021 was a frightening example of how online misinformation can translate to real-world violence. Facebook, among other platforms, served as an amplifier of the widespread election-related misinformation that led to the insurrection, and while Facebook executives were aware of their platform’s role in political polarization and misinformation, as well as ways to curb it, they substantially decreased their efforts immediately after the November election.

The documents also provide ample evidence that the company’s internal research over several years had identified ways to diminish the spread of political polarization, conspiracy theories and incitements to violence but that in many instances, executives had declined to implement those steps. (Washington Post)

4. Right-Wing Misinformation is some of the most-shared content on Facebook

A few years ago I was listening to an episode of NPR’s On the Media when I learned that the most shared content on Facebook is from right-wing sources, and very often includes misinformation. Prior to that, I was under the impression that social media companies leaned liberal and often heard mention of these platforms’ “liberal agenda”. Take a look at the topics listed on Facebook’s Top 10, which uses an algorithm to list the platform’s most shared content everyday.

5. The Facebook Files Give us detailed information from inside the company

Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal published the Facebook Files, an analysis of internal documents revealed by whistleblower and former employee Frances Haugen. It’s not good.

Facebook, Inc. knows, in acute detail, that its platforms are riddled with flaws that cause harm, often in ways only the company fully understands. That is the central finding of a Wall Street Journal series, based on a review of internal Facebook documents, including research reports, online employee discussions and drafts of presentations to senior management.

Time and again, the documents show, Facebook’s researchers have identified the platform’s ill effects. Time and again, despite congressional hearings, its own pledges and numerous media exposés, the company didn’t fix them. The documents offer perhaps the clearest picture thus far of how broadly Facebook’s problems are known inside the company, up to the chief executive himself. (Wall Street Journal)

These reasons don’t even include the Cambridge Analytica scandal or Facebook’s practice of secretly tracking your iphone location. You get the idea.

So, here I am, a small business person faced with a decision. Do I continue to participate in these platforms and condone this behavior or do I take a stand? I’m choosing the latter. Where will you find us? The most direct pipeline to Poplin is the newsletter and website. You’ll also find great content on Pinterest and we’ll devote more time to LinkedIn to keep our community connected. I am very honored to have a voice that is amplified through my business and I take that role seriously. I appreciate you being here and look forward to more time together talking about personal style, lifestyle, values and more. More style. Less Facebook.

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