CrossFit released a statement Thursday announcing it has shut down its official Facebook and Instagram accounts citing a disagreement with the way Facebook handles user data and accounts that are opposed to its political and social ideas.
CrossFit has been a bold company and practice since its inception, however this move does come as a bit of a surprise considering CrossFit reached its prominent status do to the power of social and digital media.
“CrossFit, Inc., as a voluntary user of and contributor to this marketplace, can and must remove itself from this particular manifestation of the public square when it becomes clear that such responsibilities are betrayed or reneged upon to the detriment of our community,” CrossFit said in its statement. “Common decency demands that we do so, as do our convictions regarding fitness, health, and nutrition, which sit at the heart of CrossFit’s identity and prescription. To this end, all activity on CrossFit, Inc.’s Facebook and Instagram accounts was suspended as of May 22, 2019, as CrossFit investigates the circumstances pertaining to Facebook’s deletion of the Banting7DayMealPlan and other well-known public complaints about the social-media company that may adversely impact the security and privacy of our global CrossFit community.”
“In order to entrust a community to an entity like Facebook, you have to believe that that entity acts in the best interest of that community and the individuals in it,” Executive Director of the CrossFit Foundation Olivia Leonard told Morning Chalk Up. “I think it’s pretty clear Facebook violates that standard of trust in a variety of ways.”
CrossFit’s Facebook account had 3.1 million followers while its Instagram had 2.8 million.
“The final straw was when they deleted without notice or explanation a low carb high fat FB page with 1.6 million users in South Africa,” CrossFit founder Greg Glassman said. “The group has 1.65 million users who post testimonials and other information regarding the efficacy of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. While the site has subsequently been reinstated (also without warning or explanation), Facebook’s action should give any serious person reason to pause, especially those of us engaged in activities contrary to prevailing opinion.”
CrossFit’s Twitter, which only has 973K followers in comparison, remains active as does its CrossFit Health Facebook page, though for how long the later will stay up is uncertain.
