To the male tech CEOs, stop banning us from advertising women’s underwear

Nala co-founder Chloe de Winter (third from left), with models wearing Nala garments. Source: supplied.

Since launching sustainable underwear brand Nala four months ago, we have had major issues regarding censorship from all major platforms. So, we wrote a letter to the big bosses.

Take a read …

Dear Mark Zuckerburg (CEO, Meta), Sundar Pichai (CEO, Google), and Shou Zi Chew (CEO, TikTok),

Your censorship policies are nothing short of discriminatory. And we write to you today, because we have had enough.

For too long, advertising standards have harmfully dictated the way women feel about themselves – fueling an epidemic of body dysmorphia. It’s become increasingly clear that your three platforms have no interest in changing the narrative.

Four months ago, we launched Nala, an underwear business with a goal to change the way we feel about our bodies. We don’t want to bore you with our list of ‘indiscretions’, but Nala’s been shadow banned on Meta for months, permanently banned from advertising on TikTok and were unable to run ads on Google for our first four months of existence (this was recently overturned, so Sundar we can be friends for now).

The three of you control $186 billion of advertising spend each year. Our kids spend on average six hours a day on your platforms. For a generation, you own advertising. You dictate social norms.

As three male lead businesses (who would’ve thought?), it’s time to acknowledge women’s bodies are not inherently offensive or shameful, and censoring businesses like ours perpetuates harmful stigmas and taboos surrounding women’s bodies. This type of censorship undermines the progress we’ve made.

So today, on International Women’s Day, we urge the three of you and the 230,422 people that work for you, do better. Change your policies, make them clearer and start training your AI to be our cheerleader, not our enemy. Be an ally!

We’re going to change the world, are you coming along for the ride?

Nala xx

This letter was first published on LinkedIn and shared with permission. 

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