Open Letter to Mark Zuckerberg: Addressing Bias in Women's Health Advertising on Meta Platforms
21 Mayo 2024 - 8:00AM
Today, in an open letter penned by LevLane Advertising and
addressed to Mr. Mark Zuckerberg and Meta’s executive team, a
coalition of advertising executives, marketing executives and
women's health advocates has come together to highlight a pervasive
issue that severely undermines inclusivity and patient-focused
education across Meta's platforms. The Center for Intimacy Justice
(CIJ), having spearheaded investigations into the biases inherent
within the advertising review processes of such platforms, has laid
the groundwork for this dialogue. This letter seeks not only to
call out the persistent and yet-to-be-addressed discrepancies in
how ads targeting women’s and men’s sexual health and wellness are
evaluated but also to propose steps toward a more equal, inclusive
landscape.
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Dear Mr. Zuckerberg,
We represent a diverse group of advertising and
marketing executives and women's health advocates writing to you
today to draw your attention back to a critical issue that impacts
inclusivity of advertising and patient-focused education on your
platforms.
The Center for Intimacy Justice (CIJ) has been at
the forefront of identifying the biases present in the advertising
review processes on platforms such as yours — the efforts of which
we are sure you are already aware.
The CIJ’s research has been instrumental in
bringing us to this point. We are writing to further illuminate and
address this ongoing yet-to-be-rectified issue. There continues to
be a glaring discrepancy in how advertising targeting women’s and
men’s sexual health and wellness is reviewed on your platforms.
In healthcare marketing and medical affairs
education, clear communication can be the difference between safety
and harm. Using accurate terms like “vulva,” “vagina” and “Kegel”
is essential for women to understand their bodies, know their
options and take charge of their health. That is why we advocate
for the usage of correct terminology.
Despite this, ads promoting women's health
products are regularly and permanently rejected, while advertising
aimed at men for erectile dysfunction products or solutions to
prevent premature ejaculation are readily approved.
The censorship not only renders our marketing
efforts ineffective and sometimes impossible, but it also
perpetuates a harmful narrative that women's health is something to
be ashamed of or hidden. Our struggle with these platforms'
policies extends beyond a matter of business; it is a fight — which
it should never be — for women to see their health concerns
addressed openly and accurately.
Our message is clear: Women’s health is
not obscene.
The stark contrast in the treatment of women's
versus men's health-related ads suggests a bias that Meta must
investigate further and rectify.
Please address the discriminatory practices that
disproportionately affect ads related to women's health and sexual
wellness, starting here:
- Conduct a Review: Investigate the presence of
"algorithmic bias" in the ad review process, especially in how it
contributes to the discriminatory treatment of women's health
advertisements.
- Allocate More Resources: Dedicate resources
and team members to monitor and ensure that women's health ads are
evaluated with the same standards as men's health ads, correcting
any discrepancies.
- Create an Oversight Committee: Form an
independent committee of women’s health advocates to oversee the
advertising review process, including representatives from women's
health advocacy groups, to ensure transparency and accountability.
- Engage Regularly With Stakeholders: Hold
regular consultations with women's health advocates, businesses and
other stakeholders to gather feedback and make continuous
improvements in the advertising policies and review
mechanisms.
We would love to host a meeting to discuss how we
might rectify these issues and start making a change in the women’s
health marketing and advertising space.
We believe these actions not only are necessary
for promoting fairness and equality on your platforms but also
align with Meta's stated commitment to supporting diverse
communities and fostering an inclusive digital environment.
This could be a turning point — a moment to enable
growth, learning and unity in our collective approach to women’s
health for Meta. It is within your ability to make this a
reality.
We ask that you seize this opportunity and stand
with women in their pursuit of health.
Click here to sign and support our petition to
Meta.
Media Contact: Lauren Stralo
Director, PR lstralo@levlane.com 484-747-0172