Were firms (see below) right to withdraw BNP Facebook ads?

[Spawnee]

Six major firms have withdrawn advertisements from the networking website Facebook, after they appeared on a British National Party page.
First Direct, Vodafone, Virgin Media, the AA, Halifax and the Prudential have all withdrawn ads. Virgin said it had to "protect its brand".
What do you think?

[Radstar]

Yes!

A brand costs a massive amount of ££, time and energy to build! To have it destroyed by association would be insane.

Correct "damage limitation" policy!

[Andy F]

I think it's wise for them to withdraw, given the amount of adverse publicity that goes with the BNP.
Plus they don't want to be seen condoning certain political factions.

[Lynn s]

commitments liability

[Mordent]

Yes that's absolutely right. The BNP may not be able to be stopped because of free speech - but then that also gives companies the right to cancel funds to people that support them. I wouldn't like to be associated with those nutjobs if I had the opportunity, it would be incredibly bad for business if vodaphone (for example) was known as the fascist's choice of mobile phone company.

[LondonMinx]

Yes, they did the right, ethical thing.

Anyone who has read any of the BNP material on ethnic minorities knows that they are a horribly racist party. Many of their members have served time for unprovoked attacks on asians, blacks, jews and gays.

These companies were totally justified to remove their ads from Facebook.

[peter o]

my point about this and of the firms who took the bnp facebook ads.off.will they take anyone they dont like and then tell us they did to protect there brands.its a slippery slope.
and its happening everywere.they see something they dont like or who disagrees with then.they will ban.

[bobdawn2]

It's surely up to the companies in question to decide where they are advertised, and if they don't want to be seen to be supportive of the BNP, then yes.

I think it's probably a wise move - a lot of people would hesitate to buy into a brand they see as supporting racist fascists.

[The Boss]

I think they were wrong to, but its up to them. The BNP is a legitimate political party in a democracy is it not ?