Protect Books from Banning

Objectives

Stop banning literary masterpieces

Target

Meta (Facebook/Instagram)

Consumers can delete Facebook and Instagram accounts or reduce usage. Meta's advertising revenue is directly consumer-influenced. The platform-enablement narrative is powerful: Meta profits from advertising while its algorithm fuels book-banning movements.

Better alternatives

Mastodon (open-source, decentralized social network with no corporate censorship or algorithmic manipulation) BlueSky (decentralized platform with user-controlled content moderation, strong creator community) Tumblr (independent-ish blogging platform popular with educators, writers, and literary communities) Pixelfed (open-source Instagram alternative, part of the Fediverse, community-governed) LinkedIn (professional network with strong educator and author communities, less entertainment-driven) Substack (direct publishing platform supporting writers and educators without algorithmic suppression) Medium (writer-focused platform that supports long-form educational and literary content) WordPress.com (self-publishing platform with strong library and education community presence) Discord (community servers for book clubs, educators, and literary groups — decentralized by design) Nextdoor (local community alternative to Facebook for neighborhood-level organizing) Signal (private group messaging as alternative to Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs) Element/Matrix (open-source, encrypted messaging and community platform) Your local library's social media presence and community events (direct, no algorithm)

Ways to take a stand

easy

I pledge to pause my facebook and instagram usage for one month

Meta's revenue is almost entirely driven by advertising, which depends on user attention and engagement. Reducing your time on platform directly lowers the ad impressions Meta can sell.

easy

I pledge to turn off all personalized ads in my meta account settings

Opting out of personalized advertising reduces the value Meta can charge advertisers for your attention. Personalized ads command significantly higher rates than generic ones.

medium

I pledge to cancel my meta verified subscription

Meta Verified is a paid subscription offering a blue badge and enhanced features on Facebook and Instagram. Cancelling removes a direct recurring revenue stream from Meta.

medium

I pledge to delete the facebook and instagram apps from my phone

Removing the apps reduces daily active usage, which is a core metric Meta reports to advertisers and investors. Mobile usage accounts for the vast majority of Meta's ad impressions.

hard

I pledge to switch my primary social platform to an alternative such as mastodon, bluesky, or bereal

Migrating your social activity to a competing platform permanently reduces your contribution to Meta's user engagement numbers, weakening the audience it can sell to advertisers.

hard

I pledge to permanently delete my facebook and/or instagram account

Full account deletion removes you from Meta's reported user base and eliminates any future ad revenue tied to your profile data and activity.

Target

Amazon

Amazon is one of the most substitutable major platforms for consumers—they can buy books from Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, or independent stores. The betrayal narrative is strong: Amazon profits from selling diverse literature while quietly removing titles under pressure.

Better alternatives

Bookshop.org (independent bookstore network, donates to local bookshops) ThriftBooks (used books, lower carbon footprint per shipment) Powell's Books (worker-friendly, independent, ships nationally) Local Chattanooga bookstores: McKay Used Books (East Ridge/Chattanooga area) Etsy (independent sellers, some certified sustainable shops) eBay (secondhand/refurbished focus reduces manufacturing emissions) Walmart.com (comparable convenience, lower AWS cloud dependency) Target (omnichannel retail, Chattanooga store presence, sustainability commitments) Chewy / Petco (for pet supplies, non-Amazon supply chain) Instacart / local grocery delivery (supports local grocers like Earth Fare or Whole Foods alternatives) Imperfect Foods (sustainable food delivery, reduces food waste) Thrive Market (B Corp certified, sustainability-focused grocery delivery) Azure Standard (bulk natural foods cooperative delivery) REI Co-op (worker-member co-op, strong environmental advocacy, ships nationally) Patagonia (climate-committed apparel, 1% for the Planet member) Grove Collaborative (B Corp, eco-friendly household goods) iHerb (health/wellness goods, not Amazon-affiliated) Chewy.com (pet supplies, independent of Amazon ecosystem) Rakuten / ShopLocal.com (redirect spending to local Chattanooga retailers) Chattanooga Market vendors (local artisans, zero-shipping footprint) Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute gift shop (local, mission-aligned) Co-op shops via National Co+op Grocers (find local member stores)

Ways to take a stand

easy

I pledge to stop using amazon for one month

Pausing all Amazon purchases for 30 days directly reduces revenue and forces a habit of seeking alternatives, many of which may become permanent switches.

easy

I pledge to delete the amazon shopping app from my phone

Removing the app creates friction that reduces impulse purchases and signals disengagement from Amazon's mobile commerce platform, one of its fastest-growing revenue channels.

medium

I pledge to switch from amazon music or prime video to a competing streaming service

Migrating to Spotify, Apple Music, Netflix, or another platform reduces Amazon's media subscription revenue and weakens its bundled Prime value proposition.

medium

I pledge to cancel amazon prime membership

Prime membership fees are a core revenue stream generating billions annually and serve as the anchor that locks consumers into Amazon's ecosystem; cancelling directly cuts this recurring income.

hard

I pledge to permanently switch all household shopping to local retailers or competing e-commerce platforms

Redirecting everyday purchases to Target, Walmart, eBay, or local shops makes a lasting dent in Amazon's retail revenue and demonstrates that consumers have viable alternatives.

hard

I pledge to move my cloud storage or smart home devices away from amazon (alexa/echo/aws consumer products)

Replacing Echo devices with Google Nest or Apple HomePod and switching cloud storage away from Amazon Drive removes you from Amazon's hardware and data ecosystem.

Take action on this campaign