CBD Axed from Social Media
As a cannabis patient and owner of the Swiss cannabis business CBD420, it has been extremely intriguing to witness the sweep of change of the rules and regulations in the world for the cannabis industry. Today, over 30 countries have legalized cannabis for medical use. To recognize the benefits of the plant empowers users and provides legitimacy to safe cannabis businesses.
Yet, cannabis and CBD are continually being censored by social media.
Yes, the fact that cannabis accounts are taken down from Facebook, Instagram and Youtube is frustrating, to say the least, for myself who needs to post-and-post again despite operating 100% legally. Instagram deleted our account @cbd_420_official five times losing thousands of followers. The result of this was a loss of content, time, money, and contacts with patients and invaluable relationships.
If it’s not deleted, the account is “shadow banned”. Which means it is only visible for existing followers but impossible to be found be the winder pubic online. In other words, the account has become censored. This is happening to hundreds of cannabis brands, business and influencers. Facebook even blocked a recent Swiss government study using the platform to collect data.
It is difficult for me to fully understand the harsh measures that social media platforms are applying on a legal business that is literally life-saving for some when online pages are congested with harmful content of hard drugs, violence and misogynistic messages.
Since the cannabis industry is slowly emerging from an infamous black market, access to adequate information that is helpful and educational is vital in this process of legalization. Particularly for best practices and description of effects. Social media platforms are ideal because they offer a safe space that is intimate and free from stigma.
Companies like Facebook should know better and have the means to adapt their policies according to the evolution of the laws related to cannabis.
Social media companies should adhere to the law and let us exercise our rights when it comes to cannabis. We have to ask, how come social media companies censor legal and beneficial content?
An Appeal
Since cannabis is now a legitimate industry in so many places it feels like the cannabis community has been an illegitimate target. This is why I support Bess Byer’s (@imcannabess) #petitiontoinstagram asking to review the General Terms and Conditions.
We need to make the case not only to Instagram, but also Facebook in general, and other social media platforms, to use their incredible tools to stop censoring legal and legitimate activity in relation to cannabis.
Social media can be a fantastic tool for people in our society. A very simple example is sharing information about a missing person. Social media is not just a photo gallery, it is a working tool, a database, a referral point for patients and a portal for the cannabis family to love, grow and support each other.
Let’s spread the word, speak openly about this, and think of more ways to get people’s attention to how major social media companies are behaving.
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Click here to access the #petitiontoinstagram
