Facebook cares about diversity. It cares about equality, and it definitely cares about the LGBT community. Or at least that’s what they say.
Except less so when they’re strategically growing their business.
Earlier this week, Q Salt Lake reported that Facebook, Inc. donated $10,000 to the campaign of Attorney General Sean Reyes on May 13, 2014, according to disclosures filed with the Utah Lieutenant Governor’s office.
Reyes recently made national headlines by fighting a court ruling that would legalize gay marriage in the state.
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But his anti-equality stance was only one factor Facebook took into account (or didn’t take into account) when they decided to cut the check. A company spokesperson told the Huffington Post:
Facebook has a strong record on LGBT issues and that will not change, but we make decisions about which candidates to support based on the entire portfolio of issues important to our business, not just one. A contribution to a candidate does not mean that we agree with every policy or position that candidate takes. We made this donation for the same reason we’ve donated to Attorneys General on the opposite side of this issue — because they are committed to fostering innovation and an open Internet.
Now there’s a Change.org petition created by QSaltLake Assistant Editor Bob Henline to urge the social network to pull support from the controversial politician.
“Facebook is used by everyone and shouldn’t be supporting those who would take away our rights,” one commenter on the petition writes.
h/t QSaltLake
Cam
“” A company spokesperson told the Huffington Post:
Facebook has a strong record on LGBT issues and that will not change, but we make decisions about which candidates to support based on the entire portfolio of issues important to our business, not just one. “”
________________________
So if there was a politician advocating that Blacks shouldn’t be allowed to vote or that women could not own property Facebook would still donate money to them if they liked their position on zoning laws and subsidies?
Well then, thanks for letting us know Facebook.
1EqualityUSA
Zuckerberg is a fucktard.
ImDaBeach
Once again Facebook has proven it’s about money and not about the belief of bringing people together. This is definitely not a “Like” status for Facebook. ????
Masc Pride
Does this mean Bob and the rest of you have all canceled your Facebook accounts? If not, stop bitching.
Paco
I was wondering when Facebook was going to get called out for its political donations to anti-gay politicians. Back when the mozilla scandal was happening, I saw a story on CNBC about Facebook spending a large portion of their political donations to anti-gay politicians, but there wasn’t a peep about it from the gay media for some reason. I guess they are so enamored with Facebook, they decided to give it a free pass. I surely would have thought that if a $1000 contribution by the Mozilla CEO years ago would cause such an uproar, then Facebook surely should have been an even bigger scandal. Guess no boycotts will be happening.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/101573775
pressuredrop
People are so enamored with Facebook that they will probably continue to give it a free pass.
Allowances like this are what give anti-gay politicians their strength. The money itself is a simple object and doesn’t necessarily equal changed minds, but millions of people will read about this and then actively turn a blind eye to it. The message they send is that it’s okay to be bigoted, regardless of how both Facebook and its users justify it.
Paul Nadolski
Almost every day, I find another reason why I’m so glad that I quit Facebook…
Cee
Cool. I don’t go on Facebook anymore anyway. People are obsessed with Facebook like they can’t function without it. I love when people ask me if I got Facebook. I tell them yes, but I’m not active on it. Don’t bother Facebooking me. I don’t check it. Don’t even remember what my password is lol I’m anti-Facebook and encourage people to get off of there and get a life.
lcandela123
Maybe time for facebook employees to step up and express their disappointment in their employer’s actions. Like corporations everywhere, I doubt they will ever admit to making an error, but they will think twice next time.
Companies do this sort of thing all of the time. Personally, I think having a record of bigotry should trump a politician’s record of being pro-business when it comes time for businesses to donate money.
I’m retired from the petrochemical industry, and they throw tons of money at the slimiest dirtballs in Congress if they are pro-business. They also strong arm the employees to do likewise.
vive
The worst of all is that people don’t even see the underlying problem any more. The complaints are about WHOM these corporations buy off, never mind that the whole idea of corporations giving money to ANY politician is an abomination and a complete corruption of the whole idea of “democracy.”
KM201
@Masc Pride: I, for one, don’t use Facebook anymore. It’s just a complete waste of time that distracts from real world problems. They will falter off soon enough as this will be the straw that breaks their camel’s back. 😉
curan
Facebook is experiencing far more visceral hatred over Messenger than their political stance.
RIGay
I could get all huffy and wail “I AM CANCELING MY ACCOUNT!!!”, but 1) It’s free; I am not paying for any part of the service or content. 2) I have so much Advertising blocking on my browser that Facebook is not making a cent off my personal information with cookies and flash 3) Because my Facebook account has been hacked several times, my profile now has nothing in it that could possibly link to anything real about me; fictitious birthday, disposable Email, phony contact information. 4) Less than 40 friends. I see people with 500+ friends and I think “Do you HAVE a life?”
It is a time suck.
ontheupandup
Don’t forget that Facebook owns Instagram as well. If you’re REALLY gonna boycott, you’d need to dump your Instagram, too.
ted72
I’ve already deleted my account. What a waste of time anyway.
If people started to delete their Fbook acct, they’ll start to feel the pain and rethink their stand on this issue.
Teeth
Zuckerburg is a homophobic whore, whose bitch works a UCSF as a pediatrician. People should write to her with the same support for her marriage that she has for ours.
MrKev
I’m proud to say that I have never had a Facebook account (it always seemed so stupid and narcissistic) and never will have one.
MrKev
@ontheupandup: I don’t need to dump Instagram – I’ve never had an account with them either.
1EqualityUSA
No Facebook for me either, never had it, never will. When Zuckerberg supported Chris Christie, that’s when he grossed me out. What the Hell is wrong with him? I wish he wasn’t in S.F.
michael mellor
Time to cancel Facebook. It obviously thinks that gay people’s rights are secondary to obscene profit margins.
Queer4Life
voting doesnt work. Yet if people are going to support liars and thieves they ought consider more than a single issue.
tdx3fan
They are a business. They are supposed to act in the best interest for their business. That is what businesses do. I have no problem with them donating to a right wing politician as long as they are doing it to further their business goals instead of doing it because he supports a marriage ban.
tdx3fan
@Cam: Oh come on Cam, they gave money to a Republican and we all know that they stand for both of those things (actually they get more news coverage about the blacks voting and the war on women then they do about the gays).
tdx3fan
@Paco: HUGE difference between donating to a right wing candidate and giving $1000 directly to Prop 8. HUGE!
1EqualityUSA
If this dip was thinking, he would fund a person (grass-roots) that met the business and social criteria that he preferred, instead of kissing up to fat-ass liars like Chris Christie or mealy-mouthed bigots such as Sean Reyes. He’s powerful and wants to stay that way, but at what cost? I really wish this turd would move to the East Coast, though 3,000 miles still doesn’t feel far enough away. What the Hell is he doing in S.F.? Go away! Go buy Chris Christie an ice-cream cone and talk about money. Isn’t that what it’s all about? When he supports these bigots, he is support marriage bans. The results are the same.
Desert Boy
I’m not on Facebook. I’m glad.
Paco
@tdx3fan: Really? Giving $10,000 to someone actively fighting to keep Utah’s ban on same sex marriage in place is less than the $1000.00 donation some jerk donated to a ballot measure? Sorry but I fail to see the difference. Also, Facebook is spreading the damage around by donating to anti-gay politicians all over the country, basically tossing gay rights under the bus so they can buy some favors with pro-business politicians. If they can’t find a pro-business politician that is also for equal rights, then they should keep their money to themselves until one comes along. You can’t claim to be for equal rights and then turn around and give money to put people in power that have a record of undermining those rights.
sejjo
The capitalist market hard at work. Anyone of these companies will throw us under the bus if it suits their bottom line.
transiteer
One wonders why Facebook would write a cheque to anyone. They don’t need this guys support although he really needs theirs. Makes one wonder why pennies to Microsoft and million$ to this ass, would be worth FB’s trouble. Don’t write any cheques, and avoid the whole mess. Not too sure about FB’s management with this move.