During and following the events at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. yesterday, everybody from Cardi B to Jimmy Kimmel to NBA coaches have shared their disgust with the situation. Now Selena Gomez has weighed in, focusing on the social media and internet companies she believes help foster online hate.
In a tweet directed at leaders of internet companies, Gomez wrote last night, “Today is the result of allowing people with hate in their hearts to use platforms that should be used to bring people together and allow people to build community. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google, Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, Jack Dorsey, Sundar Pichai, Susan Wojcicki — you have all failed the American people today, and I hope you’re going to fix things moving forward.”
. @Facebook, @Instagram, @Twitter, @Google, Mark Zuckerberg, @SherylSandberg, @jack, @Sundarpichai, @SusanWojcicki pic.twitter.com/df3ZLR5Ruk
— Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) January 7, 2021
On her Instagram Story, Gomez also shared a video from former CNN chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin, which Yellin titled “How Social Media Fueled Today’s Insurrection” and which features Yellin in conversation with Imran Ahmed, CEO of The Center For Countering Digital Hate (CCHD).
Gomez has long expressed her discontent with how Google and social media sites have handled hateful and/or misleading online speech. Just looking at Gomez’s Twitter timeline from December, near the start of the month, she went after Facebook and Instagram in response to a CCHD post that declares, “Neo-Nazis are selling racist products on Facebook and Instagram. Facebook has left these pages online, despite being told about them 3 days ago.” Responding to another CCHD tweet from last week about the spread of “vaccine misinformation,” Gomez wrote, “Scientific disinformation has and will cost lives. @Facebook said they don’t allow lies about COVID and vaccines to be spread on their platforms. So how come all of this is still happening? Facebook is going to be responsible for thousands of deaths if they don’t take action now!”
I’m speechless. @Facebook @Instagram how are you tolerating this hate? There’s still accounts there even though you have been notified!! https://t.co/Q3VUzLQ7IF
— Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) December 3, 2020
Scientific disinformation has and will cost lives. @Facebook said they don’t allow lies about COVID and vaccines to be spread on their platforms. So how come all of this is still happening? Facebook is going to be responsible for thousands of deaths if they don’t take action now! https://t.co/IAtDpNT5Tt
— Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) December 30, 2020
Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.