Several US companies have expressed their stand on the ongoing "black lives matter" protests around the country, which aim to fight against racial inequality.
Several firms in the US, including Facebook, Twitter, and Nike, have weighed in on the mass protests conducted by "black lives matter" groups fighting against racial inequality in the country.
The demonstrations were sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in the custody of police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
How the protests started
The outrage started when a video showing Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis police officer, kneeling on George Floyd's neck, circulated on social media. Chauvin was immediately fired following the incident and has since been charged with third-degree murder.
However, protesters are calling for stronger punishment, as well as charges for the other three police officers who were involved in the incident.
According to them, the death of Floyd highlighted the unequal treatment of African Americans across the US.
Over the last few days, some of the protests have become violent, with people starting fires and looting local businesses. As a result, at least 40 cities have announced curfews and asked people to return to their homes.
Facebook donates $10 million
Social media giant Facebook has pledged to donate $10 million to the protest groups. The company's chief executive officer (CEO) Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post: "We stand with the black community."
Zuckerberg added: "I know that $10 million can't fix this."
However, he pointed out that Facebook needs to do more to keep people safe and avoid promoting bias as the company faced criticism for how it is handling discussion of the protests on its platform.
In his post the Facebook CEO claimed that he and his wife, Priscilla, have been supporting organizations working against bias in the criminal justice system for years, committing approximately $40 million annually to them.
However, he admitted that the tech firm needed to do more.
He pointed out: "To help in this fight, I know Facebook needs to do more to support equality and safety for the black community through our platforms.
Zuckerberg said he was "grateful" that video of the incident was posted on Facebook "because we all needed to see that."
"But it's clear Facebook also has more work to do to keep people safe and ensure our systems don't amplify bias,"
Other companies express support to "Black Lives Matter" movement
Twitter has added the "#BlackLivesMatter" slogan to its official bio and enumerated accounts that its users could follow to learn more about "marginalized groups".
The company tweeted: "We've curated a list. Diversify Your Feed to amplify voices from underrepresented communities and marginalized groups. To assist allies and potential allies in their journey of learning. To stand in solidarity. #BlackLivesMatter."
Twitter has previously announced that it will have under-represented minorities comprise a quarter of its US workforce by 2025.
Fitness company Peloton said that it will be donating $500,000 to the legal defense fund of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as part of an initiative to support black communities.
Peloton CEO John Foley said: "Black lives matter. This week, what's become clear to me is we must ensure this is an anti-racist organization."
Meanwhile, Nike released an online video, which reversed its iconic slogan "Just Do It".
In the video, the firm stated: "For once, Don't Do It."
"Don't pretend there's not a problem in America. Don't turn your back on racism. Don't accept innocent lives being taken from us. Don't make any more excuses. Don't think this doesn't affect you. Don't sit back and be silent," Nike said.
