CrossFit quits Facebook, calls company ‘utopian socialists’
CrossFit, the branded workout regimen, accused Facebook of being “utopian socialists” and left the platform after the social network deleted a group dedicated to a diet.
The move to quit both Facebook and Instagram came in the wake of the decision to delete “without warning or explanation the Banting7DayMealPlan,” a group that advocated a diet aimed at eating “food that is as close to its natural state as possible — free from processing, additives, preservatives and sugar.”
The group suspension was later overturned, but CrossFit issued a lengthy statement announcing the end of their presence on the platform.
“All activity on CrossFit, Inc.’s Facebook and Instagram accounts was suspended as of May 22, 2019, as CrossFit investigates the circumstances pertaining to Facebook’s deletion of the Banting7DayMealPlan and other well-known public complaints about the social-media company that may adversely impact the security and privacy of our global CrossFit community,” the statement read.
The company provided eight “publicly sourced complaints” as the reasons for quitting.
“Facebook collects and aggregates user information and shares it with state and federal authorities, as well as security organizations from other countries,” the first reason read.
“Facebook collaborates with government security agencies on massive citizen surveillance programs such as PRISM,” CrossFit said in the second reason.
“Facebook censors and removes user accounts based on unknown criteria and at the request of third parties including government and foreign government agencies,” it continued.
“Facebook collects, aggregates and sells user information as a matter of business. Its business model allows governments and businesses alike to use its algorithmically conjured advertising categories as sophisticated data-mining and surveillance tools.”
The company then added that “Facebook’s news feeds are censored and crafted to reflect the political leanings of Facebook’s utopian socialists while remaining vulnerable to misinformation campaigns designed to stir up violence and prejudice.”
The statement noted that CrossFit is a “voluntary user of and contributor to this marketplace, can and must remove itself from this particular manifestation of the public square when it becomes clear that such responsibilities are betrayed or reneged upon to the detriment of our community.”
“Common decency demands that we do so, as do our convictions regarding fitness, health and nutrition, which sit at the heart of CrossFit’s identity and prescription,” it added.
