To let you know how to protest that Amazon is advertising on Breitbart "news" site?

[drspouse]

Many MNers will have heard of Breitbart, the ultra right wing "news" site. Companies that advertise with them fund them - but some companies don't know they advertise with them as it's part of a "package", and some don't care.

UK companies may be even less aware that they advertise with them (I clearly shocked one smaller retailer yesterday by telling them!) but Amazon US and Amazon UK are refusing to answer questions about this.

You'll need a Twitter account for this (but they are easy to set up) and as a lot of us know companies REALLY pay attention when customers tweet them.

So if you go here:

www.wall-of-us.org/weekly-acts-of-resistance/2017/1/29/action-3-stop-the-loose-bannon

you can do this two ways, both explained on the Wall of Us site.

Via AdStrike where they will prepare the tweet for you and it will target one of the companies that isn't listening (usually US companies)

Or directly to the BB site (sorry but you have to click on it, just close your eyes a bit! News is on the left side and ads on the right) where you will find some of the UK companies that may not know they are on there - and Amazon UK that is also ignoring the campaign.

[woman12345]

drspouse bye bye amazon

[drspouse]

I managed not to buy anything from Amazon for a whole year plus a few days (but have slipped). I feel another self-imposed ban coming on.

[mothertruck3r]

They also advertise on The Guardian, the ultra left wing "news" site.

[drspouse]

Well, if you object to the Guardian, you are free to tell Amazon so.

I think you might find there are rather more actual facts in the Guardian.

[RhuBarbarella]

I've got 4 tweets set up, not sure how to make it 10 but will look in on it later. Well done you!

[drspouse]

Wow that's very impressive RhuBarbarella!

Can you share what companies you found?

[StarryIllusion]

I'm confused? Why do we care where Amazon advertise? Its just a shitty news site isn't it? Not goading btw, genuinely don't get it?

[drspouse]

It's a very powerful fascist website and Amazon is giving them money. The more money Amazon gives them, the more coverage they can have and the more "stories" they can report.

This isn't the Onion. If you're giving money to a company advertising on Breitbart, you're basically giving money to Trump's mouthpiece and one of his right hand men.

[PausingFlatly]

Just in case anyone doesn't know, one of Breitbart's founding board members was Steve Bannon, Trump's campaign CEO and now the White House Chief Strategist.

He's the chap whom Trump made a permanent part of the National Security Council - when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Director of National Intelligence weren't.

He's widely believed to be one of the main people pulling Trump's strings, including being the author of some of the Executive Orders Trump has just signed - the ones in violation of the US constitution.

Nice chap.

[TheNaze73]

The Guardian advertise there too. I suppose with circulation now at under 150,000 they need all the help they can get

[woman12345]

btw
www.theguardian.com/media/2017/jan/19/arron-banks-launches-breitbart-style-site-westmonster
Banks who has pledged to destroy the conservative party ( and not because he want to let the Green party take their place )
has his own breitbart on the way.
Watch Banks carefully, our very own Bannon.
A vote for Brexit is a vote for Banks.

[PausingFlatly]

But regarding advertising on websites: a lot of ads are delivered automatically by algorithms which deliver different adverts targetted to different readers depending on what else they've clicked.

So I'm probably not getting the same adverts on this MN page as other posters. Or any, as I have ad blockers.

I suspect the websites may be able to blacklist some adverts from appearing automatically, but don't know the details.

Of course, websites can also carry some specific adverts by direct agreement with the advertiser.

I think we need to know more.

[drspouse]

a lot of ads are delivered automatically by algorithms

Over 200 advertisers have asked for their ad rotation NOT to include Breitbart - so others can do this too. It is not outside their power. They can switch to a different provider if their current one doesn't offer this option.

Read the link I posted and it will explain more.

[PausingFlatly]

Thanks, drspouse.

[IvorHughJarrs]

I'm afraid I believe in free speech and, if it is hateful or untrue, then expose it for what it is rather than trying to suppress it. Are Amazon only allowed to advertise with sites you, personally, approve of?

It's worth noting that Breitbart were one of the few sites that carried reports of the Cologne attacks on women last year and the attempted cover-up while the Guardian and more left wing sites were busy covering up. We need a range of information sources to get true freedom of information, it is up to us to see them for who they are and check the truth of reports

Trying to suppress free speech is a bad thing whether it is right wing or liberal and even if done with good intentions

[drspouse]

I'm afraid I believe in free speech

Me too but I don't have to pay for it.

I heard loads about the Cologne attacks and I have never knowingly read Breitbart (till I started doing this tweeting and even then I'm not reading). Not very well covered up, were they?

Breitbart also has such gems as "Birth control makes women unattractive and crazy" and "Gabby Giffords [US politician who miraculously survived a shooting]: The gun control movement's human shield"

If you have a strong stomach you can read more here.

www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/breitbart-headlines_us_5829ba13e4b060adb56f1bdb

[MuteButtonisOn]

Or directly to the BB site (sorry but you have to click on it, just close your eyes a bit! News is on the left side and ads on the right)

Yup. Don't bother to check what it is you object to before objecting....

[PausingFlatly]

Rubbish. The Cologne attacks were covered by media from the NY Times to the BBC. I think the NY Times may have been first.

Breitbart are certainly very quick and eager to publish anything that suits their agenda - which means they publish stuff that isn't actually true (see their attempt to create news this New Year, when a New Year's firework set fire to builder's netting on a church. So, not actually a screaming mob attacking the church, then...)

[PausingFlatly]

Sorry, that "rubbish" was to IvorHughJarrs' claim that only a few news outlets covered Cologne.

[drspouse]

Mute I have already read lots of headlines and summaries of stories. I have no desire to read any more. Have you read that list of revolting headlines I just posted? I really don't want to have to read more.

As Linda Smith said of Neil Hamilton, "I don't really like you saying his name, because it gives him the oxygen of publicity and I'm not happy with him having the oxygen of oxygen."

I don't think these "articles" should be read and I'm not going to contribute to their click count.

[woman12345]

IvorHughJarrs which women's centre do you work for ?

[RhuBarbarella]

I'm not sure how I did it! Working now, will check in later. .

[drspouse]

I've just called out Quandoo (like Groupon I think?), Hungry House and a local car showroom which have a Motability logo on their ad, seriously.

[DJBaggySmalls]

Gosh the Right are active today. So much support for Trump from the UK.

[drspouse]

woman12345
Does Banks, or someone like him, have loads of dosh? There don't seem to be ads on the Westmonster site.

(Will now go and wash eyes/hands).