Sonos pulling out ads from Facebook and donating money to rights activists

The fallout continues from Facebook's involvement in enabling Cambridge Analytics to illegally mine data from millions of Facebook users without their consent, possibly violating various privacy agreements. Facebook is scrambling to respond while it is being investigated by the Federal Trade Commission and other privacy commissions in other countries. Meanwhile a strong #DeleteFacebook movement is gaining ground among users and is even backed by the founder of messaging app WhatsApp, which was bough by Facebook in 2014. Up to 3,000 brands are threatening to pull investment in Facebook.

Sonos has announced that it will halt advertising with Facebook as a result of the investigations into Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. 

"At Sonos, we believe all people have the right to know how their data is being collected and used, and that each of us has an obligation to honor the commitments we make to our customer’s privacy.  In response to the recent revelations about Cambridge Analytica and Facebook, we’ve decided to temporarily suspend all of our digital advertising on Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube and Twitter. We will also go dark on our Facebook and Instagram social accounts next week in solidarity with those seeking to build a healthier, more consumer-friendly tech ecosystem.

 Instead, we’ll be contributing additional support to our Listen Better grantee Access Now for RightsCon, one of the only forums where tech companies engage directly with activists on equal terms, enabling solutions that can help forge a healthier technology ecosystem that works for everyone."

Sonos spokespersons added, "we think it’s important for those involved in creating tech to listen to the voices of those that are impacted by it, including the most marginalized, such as human rights defenders, LGBT people, and people of color. RightsCon is a forum that enables exactly that type of listening—and ultimately, action."