Adverts on Facebook withdrawn to avoid BNP link

Gilps · August 3, 2007

BNP turns firms off Facebook adverts

Last Updated: 1:42am BST 03/08/2007

Vodafone and First Direct have withdrawn their advertising from Facebook to stop their brands appearing close to British National Party details, the companies said.

Their adverts were among several that flashed up on a rotating basis on the same page as the Right-wing group. Advertisers cannot, however, control where on Facebook their brands appear.

Vodafone wants to carry on working with the social networking site while "staying true" to its policies, a spokesman said.

advertisementShe said the mobile phone firm bought bundles of advertising space across a number of websites.

"As a result we were not aware that a Vodafone advertisement would appear next to a British National Party group on Facebook.

"Our public policy principles state that we do not make political donations or support particular party political interests and therefore to avoid misunderstandings we immediately withdrew our advertising as soon as this was brought to our attention."

Vodafone is working with its media buyer to ensure more "robust controls" are in place before it re-invests, she added.

Rob Skinner, the First Direct spokesman, said: "We are obviously concerned about where our advertising appears.

"We have got to make sure that the places we advertise are consistent with our own values and identity."

The BNP has its own page in Facebook's political organisations section.

Phill Edwards, of the BNP, said: "There is no reason at all why anyone should avoid the BNP. There's nothing wrong with the BNP.

"Unfortunately the media have created a bogeyman and really the fault lies with the media, who for some reason have vilified the BNP, and it has scared these people off."

Cobs · August 3, 2007

This post is not viewable to guests.

You can sign in to your account at the login page here