11.22.21
Lush Cosmetics has announced it is deactivating its social media accounts. It's not a "blackout" day—it's a full-on disconnect, and it may be for good, it seems.
The brand says it created a new social media policy, with "consumers' mental health in mind."
Jack Constantine, chief digital officer and product inventor at Lush, says, "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. 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."
Which social media accounts, specifically? Lush Cosmetics says it will deactivate its Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat accounts, so Twitter and YouTube both seem to be safe, for now. (Here's the full list of where consumers can connect with Lush.)
When will Lush Cosmetics disappear from these channels? The new social media policy goes into effect on November 26th, Black Friday. It will go into effect in 48 countries.
The move is an effort to address consumers' mental health challenges, Lush Cosmetics states, and the brand's global presence across these platforms "will remain deactivated until these platforms take action to provide a safer environment for users," the company says.
The press release further explains that "concerns about the serious effects of social media are barely being acknowledged," in the same way climate change has been ignored for decades. Young people are exposed to known harms due to the current algorithms and loose regulation of social media, which whistleblowers, especially Frances Haugen, have recently brought to light.
Mark Constantine, OBE, Co-Founder, CEO and Product Inventor at Lush, adds, "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. I'm not willing to expose my customers to this harm, so it's time to take it out of the mix."
Lush's Digital Ethics policy explains more.
