11.22.21
Lush Cosmetics says effective Nov. 26, 2021, it will deactivate its Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat accounts in an effort to address consumers' mental health challenges. The beauty company says its global presence across these platforms will remain off until the platforms take action to provide a safer environment for users. This new policy is rolling out across all 48 countries where Lush operates.
In the same way that evidence against climate change was ignored and belittled for decades, concerns about the serious effects of social media are barely being acknowledged.
Lush has decided to address these serious issues now and to start by changing its own practices rather than waiting until others notice that there is actually a real problem, it said in a statement.
The brand will remain on YouTube and Twitter.
Lush says it has tried to stop its use of social media in the past.
Having previously attempted this in 2019 with Lush's UK channels, the brand says its resolve has been strengthened by all the latest information from courageous whistleblowers, which clearly lays out the known harms that young people are exposed to because of the current algorithms and loose regulation of this new area of our lives.
"As an inventor of bath bombs, I pour all my efforts into creating products that help people switch off, relax and pay attention to their wellbeing," said Jack Constantine, chief digital officer and product inventor at Lush. "Social media platforms have become the antithesis of this aim, with algorithms designed to keep people scrolling and stop them from switching off and relaxing."
"I've spent all my life avoiding putting harmful ingredients in my products. There is now overwhelming evidence we are being put at risk when using social media," said Mark Constantine, OBE, co-founder, CEO and productiInventor at Lush. "I'm not willing to expose my customers to this harm, so it's time to take it out of the mix."
Lush says it is investing in new ways to connect, to build better channels of communication elsewhere, as well as using tried and tested routes.
In the same way that evidence against climate change was ignored and belittled for decades, concerns about the serious effects of social media are barely being acknowledged.
Lush has decided to address these serious issues now and to start by changing its own practices rather than waiting until others notice that there is actually a real problem, it said in a statement.
The brand will remain on YouTube and Twitter.
Lush says it has tried to stop its use of social media in the past.
Having previously attempted this in 2019 with Lush's UK channels, the brand says its resolve has been strengthened by all the latest information from courageous whistleblowers, which clearly lays out the known harms that young people are exposed to because of the current algorithms and loose regulation of this new area of our lives.
"As an inventor of bath bombs, I pour all my efforts into creating products that help people switch off, relax and pay attention to their wellbeing," said Jack Constantine, chief digital officer and product inventor at Lush. "Social media platforms have become the antithesis of this aim, with algorithms designed to keep people scrolling and stop them from switching off and relaxing."
"I've spent all my life avoiding putting harmful ingredients in my products. There is now overwhelming evidence we are being put at risk when using social media," said Mark Constantine, OBE, co-founder, CEO and productiInventor at Lush. "I'm not willing to expose my customers to this harm, so it's time to take it out of the mix."
Lush says it is investing in new ways to connect, to build better channels of communication elsewhere, as well as using tried and tested routes.