BlockTheProfits is a new Twitter account that was started up in early June, 2019 in order to organize block lists of corporate advertisers who use Twitter. The idea is that they want to spread the list far and wide so that average Twitter users who use the list will no longer see advertisements from those brands on Twitter as a way to block Twitter’s profits. The goal is to hurt Twitter’s advertising profits until they ban “Nazis”, “Racists”, and “Abusers”.
The mission statement of the account is pretty simple. It reads…
“To force twitter to ban nazis, racists & abusers – hit them where it hurts; profits. Sign up to the website to block!”
The account links to a Blocktogerher.org page where there’s a block list of advertisers promoting their products on Twitter. This includes major brands like Microsoft 365, Done Deal, Web Summit, Ford, IWEA, Nintendo UK, Degree, BET, Amazon Publishing, Yahoo Sports, Sega, SAP, Visa UK, and GameSpot to name just a few.
They published a tweet thread on June 8th, 2019 explaining how the system works and what their goals are with this new block list.
So just tag @blocktheprofits under a promoted tweet AND use #BlockTheProfits also.
This way it can be easily tracked for blocking.
Again we NEED to keep spreading the message. Please post a separate tweet tagging both and stating what it’s all about.
— blocktheprofits (@blocktheprofits) June 8, 2019
We need ALL followers to sign up to the block list fo this to be successful. We’re nearly at 500.
Let’s aim to multiple that by 10 over the next week.
Sign up then ask your friends/followers to also.https://t.co/0b7pW0ytxj
— blocktheprofits (@blocktheprofits) June 8, 2019
All will be unblocked when the platform is moderated correctly.
If we get choosy about whether an account deserves a blocking or not, then we lose potency.
All suggestions are welcome, this isn’t a cast iron plan. DM me if you’ve ideas to help.
Let’s #BlockTheProfits
— blocktheprofits (@blocktheprofits) June 8, 2019
So basically it’s like a list of demands. If Twitter doesn’t ban or “moderate” their platform of “Nazis”, “Racists”, and “Abusers”, then they will continue to expand the list and block Twitter’s advertisers.
The interesting thing about it is that they’re not just targeting standard capitalistic organizations and businesses. They’re also going after who some might consider to be ideological allies, too. In a separate chain posted on June 8th, the account explained that this was going to be “tough” because they would have to block some organizations that they support, such as Planned Parenthood.
Yeah it’s pretty tough to see ones that we support and do good, but I think any organisation currently funneling money to Twitter needs to be blocked. I we get really choosey, it won’t work as intended. Tough calls to make.
— blocktheprofits (@blocktheprofits) June 8, 2019
It’s an interesting conundrum because right now the list is pretty small, and they only have 645 followers as of the writing of this article. If the follower list expands and more people begin to block the ads en masse, then then there could be problems for Twitter in the long run. 1,000 people blocking ads isn’t that big of a deal, but 10,000 would start to make a dent. 100,000 would affect large swathes of targeted demographics. 1 million would likely mean that Twitter would have to do something to address the issue.
However, we’re not there yet and for now it’s just a block list being developed to block ads until Twitter kowtows to their demands for better moderation. The question is: how do you determine who is a “Nazi”? And by what criteria are they judging “racism”? And on what grounds are they labeling people as “abusers”? It’s all ill-defined and poorly structured criteria for labels that are essentially going to be thrown around to get ideological opponents deplatformed faster than they’re currently being deplatformed.
While follower count is low right now, it’s an outfit worth keeping an eye on as more people begin to follow the cause.
(Thanks for the news tip Razgriz Reborn)
