[throwaway_jobs]

>Sounds like Verizon’s Facebook advertising spend is losing value because if COVId-19

“We’re pausing our advertising until Facebook can create an acceptable solution that makes us comfortable,”

Doesn’t sound like it has anything to do with Covid-19 to me but rather advertisers don’t want to spend money advertising on a platform promoting hate speech.

But let’s say this was a conspiracy by all these companies to save their ad dollars because they are being wasted on FB, why would they be afraid of the “implications of their reduced ad spend”? Certainly there is nothing wrong with these companies coming out and saying we are not going to spend money advertising on FB because it’s a waste of money. What else is the implication?

[aabhay]

I see it as a "kill two birds" situation. Corporate ethics is a very different beast from human ethics. Getting any decision through a board room typically requires at least two entirely plausible value propositions.

[jariel]

No, it takes no decision from the board to cut ad spending due to COVID, which is happening universally.

The bit about 'Facebook' is a very secondary thing and it's not in the same category of 'birds'.

One is existential to the nature of the business, the other is a PR line.

[ogre_codes]

> Doesn’t sound like it has anything to do with Covid-19 to me

Advertising is one of the first things companies cut during a downturn. Their revenues are down and they need to shave some costs.

Where do they make that budget cut? It's a pretty easy call right now. They can shave some money and garner some easy positive press at the same time. They are getting advertising for cutting spending.

When their revenue starts to come back online, they quietly turn Facebook advertising back on. If anyone calls them on it, they can say they feel the atmosphere on FB has improved.

[throwaway_jobs]

> Advertising is one of the first things companies cut during a downturn. Their revenues are down and they need to shave some costs.

Ok but did they cut advertising across the board or just Facebook?

You can’t have you’re cake and eat it too, either Facebook advertising was effective and they are harming their own business by cutting Facebook advertising (Suggesting there is more than money involved in the decision), or Facebook advertising is a waste of money in which case they won’t just quietly turn it back on as you claim.

[ogre_codes]

It's likely they reduced advertising spend across the board, while cutting Facebook entirely.

> You can’t have you’re cake and eat it too, either Facebook advertising was effective and they are harming their own business by cutting Facebook advertising (Suggesting there is more than money involved in the decision), or Facebook advertising is a waste of money in which case they won’t just quietly turn it back on as you claim.

Of course there is real money involved. But the current political/ economic situation has made Facebook advertising less valuable than it was previously.

Things changed which made this an easy call.

[lasagnaphil]

Probably it’s both: two birds with one stone. (Saving costs + PR from participating against the populist right) Voila.