Business
Fashion Nova Sparks Outrage After Encouraging People to Spend Stimulus Checks on Its Site
Published
3 years agoon

- Fashion Nova sparked outrage after it sent customers an alert encouraging them to spend their stimulus checks on its site.
- The move came a day before new data showed that an unprecedented 22 million people filed for unemployment benefits in the last month.
- However, the attempt to bring in sales might not be surprising considering the fact that retail sales in the U.S. dropped by 8.7% in March, with clothing stores specifically seeing a 50.5% drop.
- While Americans can choose to spend their stimulus checks however they please, early data shows that most are using it on basics like food and gas.
Sale Alerts
Fast-fashion retailer Fashion Nova was slammed by Twitter users Wednesday after sending email and text alerts that encouraged people to spend their government-issued stimulus checks on its latest sale.
Many of the company’s loyal customers who have signed up for notifications received an alert that reads: “When That Stimulus Deposit Hits…Save Up To 80% OFF SITEWIDE. Use Code: STAYIN80. Shop ASAP.”
That message left several customers stunned, with many taking to Twitter to remind the brand that they have bills and other more important things to buy amid the coronavirus pandemic. Some also took issue with Fashion Nova using the code ‘stay in,’ saying it felt like the company was mocking a situation in which people have died.
Chill fashion nova .. I got bills to pay🥺 pic.twitter.com/ip7zx5LvTY
— 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗲✨ (@grimaldo94) April 15, 2020
@FashionNova WTF fashion nova?! There’s more important things than buying clothes. People are out of work and y’all think it’s a great time to shop pic.twitter.com/rflqjayrFL
— Italia Equihua (@tayli_italia) April 15, 2020
Fashion nova are you serious? This is time is no joke. People have lost their jobs and need food or pay bills. Like who want to shop to stay home. And the fact that they use the code “stay in” is like a mockery to a situation which people have died. Smh 🤦🏻♀️ pic.twitter.com/piMn5JCj8E
— Sherry aka J-J 7 ❤️ (@therealmsshai) April 15, 2020
For many, the alert seemed pretty surprising since Fashion Nova is one of many retailers that has show support to those financially suffering. Earlier this month the brand teamed up with Cardi B to donated $1,000 every hour until May 20, for a total of $1 million.
We’ve teamed up with Cardi B to help those that have been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. #FashionNovaCARES & Cardi B will donate $1,000 EVERY HOUR until we’ve given away $1,000,000. Send us your stories by visiting https://t.co/tex9oShemH for more info. pic.twitter.com/gcKQnpY4Zq
— FashionNova (@FashionNova) April 8, 2020
At the time, founder and CEO Richard Saghian said in a press release, “We all feel compassion and concern for those affected by the coronavirus.”
“Fashion Nova Cares with Cardi B will provide people with necessary relief to help them get through this crisis. As a community-driven brand, we are inspired by the kindness and generosity of others and we wanted to do our part to help those in need.”
US Retail Sales Drop by Record 8.7% in March
However, Fashion Nova’s new marketing strategy might not actually be too surprising considering the fact that so many retail stores across the country are struggling.
The Commerce Department released new data Wednesday showing that U.S. retail sales have plunged by 8.7% between February and March. That’s the biggest monthly decline since the government started tracking in 1992, according to CNBC.
A more specific breakdown of the data showed that some retail sectors actually saw a surge, such as grocery stores, online retailers like Amazon, pharmacies, and places that sell essential items.
Meanwhile, clothing and accessory retailers took the hardest hit, dropping in sales by 50.5%. Others that saw major drops include furniture stores, motor vehicle and parts dealers, gas stations, and electronics stores.
22 Million File for Unemployment
Strict stay at home measures across the country have of course played a huge role in the sales decline since so many businesses have been forced to close their doors. But on top of that, consumers have generally pulled back on unnecessary spending during a time of unprecedented layoffs.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced Thursday that 5.2 million people filed for unemployment benefits last week. That means that in just one month, over 22 million workers have filed for unemployment.
As far as weeks go, the new data shows a slight decline compared to the 6.6 million claims filed last week and the 6.9 million filed the week before. Still, even if the peak of layoffs is behind us, the country is still in uncharted waters with these incredibly high numbers.
Before the coronavirus outbreak, the highest number of new unemployment claims in a week was about 700,000 back in 1982. The largest number of people asking for unemployment benefits over a four-week stretch was 2.7 million that same year.
And according to The Washington Post, job losses in the past month have erased nearly all of the 22.8 million jobs gained from February 2010 to February 2020 during the rebound from the Great Recession.
Economists have noted that claims are surging, at least in part, because more people like gig economy workers and independent contractors are covered for unemployment benefits under the CARES Act.
But at the same time, economists say the numbers could be even higher than they look on the surface. That’s because state labor departments have become totally overwhelmed by the volume of claims and some people have reported being unable to get help over the phone or online.
What Are People Spending Stimulus Checks On?
So given those unemployment figures, it clear why so many people were frustrated by Fashion Nova’s alert during this sensitive time for millions of people.
But at the same time, the strategy might have actually brought the brand in some much-needed business. In fact, some internet users signaled that the deals may have been too good for them to pass up.
HERE COMES FASHION NOVA TRYNNA LURE ME IN WITH THE TEXTS, annoying. pass me my laptop though pic.twitter.com/t2H55xpWTT
— rosita (@_roroulloa) April 15, 2020
Fashion Nova already texting my phone with a sale, relax bitch……let me go see what they got
— ms.marie 🤍 (@tuhhniyah) January 1, 2020
Whatever people choose to spend their stimulus checks on is their choice, but of course because of tough circumstances, many are wisely choosing to use it on essentials. Early evidence indicates that many Americans are using the money to buy the basics, including food and gas.
Netspend, which processed nearly $1 billion in relief payments by Monday, said its customers are using the government money “for groceries, fast food, pharmacies and gas, as well as withdrawing cash from ATMs.” It also said that more than half of the transactions were PIN-based at ATMs or grocery stores, and about a quarter were done online.
Meanwhile, data compiled by the digital banking service Current found that members who received stimulus payments over the past five days spent 16% of the money on food including takeout and delivery. An additional 14% went to money transfers, 10% went toward gas, 9% was spent on groceries.
Of course, these are all early reports, but for those who have managed to get their hands on their stimulus checks, the money has already provided some desperately needed relief.
See what others are saying: (CNBC) (InStyle) (Business Insider)
Business
Meta Reinstates Trump on Facebook and Instagram
Published
1 week agoon
January 26, 2023By
Lili Stenn
The company, which banned the former president two years ago for his role in inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection, now says the risk to public safety has “sufficiently receded.”
Meta Ends Suspension
Meta announced Wednesday that it will reinstate the Facebook and Instagram accounts of former President Donald Trump, just two years after he was banned for using the platforms to incite a violent insurrection.
In a blog post, the company said the suspensions would be lifted “in the coming weeks” but with “new guardrails in place to deter repeat offenses.”
Specifically, Meta stated that due to Trump’s violations of its Community Standards, he will face “heightened penalties for repeat offenses” under new protocols for “public figures whose accounts are reinstated from suspensions related to civil unrest.”
“In the event that Mr. Trump posts further violating content, the content will be removed and he will be suspended for between one month and two years, depending on the severity of the violation,” the blog post continued.
The company also noted its updated protocols address content that doesn’t violate its Community Standards but “contributes to the sort of risk that materialized on January 6, such as content that delegitimizes an upcoming election or is related to QAnon.”
However, unlike direct violations, that content would have its distribution limited, but it would not be taken down. As a penalty for repeat offenses, Meta says it “may temporarily restrict access to […] advertising tools.”
As far as why the company is doing this, it explained that it assessed whether or not to extend the “unprecedented” two-year suspension it placed on Trump back in January of 2021 and determined that the risk to public safety had “sufficiently receded.”
Meta also argued that social media is “rooted in the belief that open debate and the free flow of ideas are important values” and it does not want to “get in the way of open, public and democratic debate.”
“The public should be able to hear what their politicians are saying — the good, the bad and the ugly — so that they can make informed choices at the ballot box,” the tech giant added.
Response
Meta’s decision prompted widespread backlash from many people who argue the former president has clearly not learned from the past because he continues to share lies about the election, conspiracy theories, and other incendiary language on Truth Social.
“Trump incited an insurrection. And tried to stop the peaceful transfer of power,” Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Ca.) tweeted. “He’s shown no remorse. No contrition. Giving him back access to a social media platform to spread his lies and demagoguery is dangerous. @facebook caved, giving him a platform to do more harm.”
Trump incited an insurrection. And tried to stop the peaceful transfer of power.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 25, 2023
He’s shown no remorse. No contrition.
Giving him back access to a social media platform to spread his lies and demagoguery is dangerous.@facebook caved, giving him a platform to do more harm.
According to estimates last month by the advocacy groups Accountable Tech and Media Matters for America, over 350 of Trump’s posts on the platform would have explicitly violated Facebook’s policies against QAnon content, election claims, and harassment of marginalized groups.
“Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to reinstate Trump’s accounts is a prime example of putting profits above people’s safety,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson told NPR.
“It’s quite astonishing that one can spew hatred, fuel conspiracies, and incite a violent insurrection at our nation’s Capitol building, and Mark Zuckerberg still believes that is not enough to remove someone from his platforms.”
However, on the other side, many conservatives and Trump supporters have cheered the move as a win for free speech.
.@Meta made the right decision. I especially like the emphasis on the users´right to access information. In the words of Frederick Douglass:
— Jacob Mchangama (@JMchangama) January 26, 2023
"To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker."https://t.co/c1ZZ02SlV1
Others, like Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Oh.) also asserted that Trump “shouldn’t have been banned in the first place. Can’t happen again.”
It’s great that President Trump will be back on Facebook soon.
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) January 26, 2023
But he shouldn’t have been banned in the first place.
Can’t happen again.
Trump himself echoed that point on in a post on Truth Social, where he claimed Facebook has lost billions of dollars both removing and reinstating him.
“Such a thing should never again happen to a sitting President, or anybody else who is not deserving of retribution! THANK YOU TO TRUTH SOCIAL FOR DOING SUCH AN INCREDIBLE JOB. YOUR GROWTH IS OUTSTANDING, AND FUTURE UNLIMITED!!!” he continued.
The question that remains, however, is whether Trump will actually go back to Facebook or Instagram. As many have noted, the two were never his main platforms. Twitter was always been his preferred outlet, and while Elon Musk reinstated his account some time ago, he has not been posting on the site.
There is also the question of how Truth Social — which Trump created and put millions of dollars into — would survive if he went back to Meta’s platforms. The company is already struggling financially, and as Axios notes, if Trump moves back, it signals to investors that he is not confident in the company.
On the other hand, Trump’s lawyers formally petitioned Meta to reinstate him, which could indicate that this goes beyond just a symbolic win and is something he actually wants. Additionally, if he were to start engaging on Facebook and Instagram again, it would immediately give him access to his over 57 million followers across the two platforms while he continues his 2024 presidential campaign.
See what others are saying: (NPR) (Axios) (The New York Times)
Business
Meta Encouraged to Change Nudity Policy in Potential Win For Free The Nipple Movement
Published
2 weeks agoon
January 18, 2023
The company’s oversight board said Meta’s current rules are too confusing to follow, and new guidelines should be developed to “respect international human rights standards.”
Rules Based in “A Binary View of Gender”
In a move many have described as a big step for Free The Nipple advocates, Meta’s oversight board released a decision Tuesday encouraging the company to modify its nudity and sexual activity policies so that social media users are treated “without discrimination on the basis of sex or gender.”
The board—which consists of lawyers, journalists, and academics—said the parent company of Facebook and Instagram should change its guidelines “so that it is governed by clear criteria that respect international human rights standards.”
Its decision came after a transgender and nonbinary couple had two different posts removed for alleged violations of Meta’s Sexual Solicitation Community Standard. Both posts included images of the couple bare-chested with their nipples covered along with captions discussing transgender healthcare, as they were fundraising for one of them to undergo top surgery.
Both posts, one from 2021 and another from 2022, were taken down after users reported it and Meta’s own automated system flagged it. The posts were restored after an appeal, but the oversight board stated that their initial removal highlights faults in the company’s policies.
“Removing these posts is not in line with Meta’s Community Standards, values or human rights responsibilities,” the board said in its decision,
According to the board, Meta’s sexual solicitation policy is too broad and creates confusion for social media users. The board also said the policy is “based on a binary view of gender and a distinction between male and female bodies.
“Such an approach makes it unclear how the rules apply to intersex, non-binary and transgender people, and requires reviewers to make rapid and subjective assessments of sex and gender, which is not practical when moderating content at scale,” the decision continued.
Free the Nipple Movement
The board stated that the rules get especially confusing regarding female nipples, “particularly as they apply to transgender and non-binary people.”
While there are exceptions to Meta’s rules, including posts in medical or health contexts, the board said that these exceptions are “often convoluted and poorly defined.”
“The lack of clarity inherent in this policy creates uncertainty for users and reviewers, and makes it unworkable in practice,” the decision said.
The board’s recommended that Meta change how it manages nudity on its platforms. The group also requested that Meta provide more details regarding what content specifically violates its Sexual Solicitation Community Standard.
For over a decade, Meta’s nudity policies have been condemned by many activists and users for strictly censoring female bodies. The Free the Nipple movement was created to combat rules that prevent users from sharing images of a bare female chest, but still allow men to freely post topless photos of themselves.
Big names including Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, and Florence Pugh have advocated for Free the Nipple.
Meta now has 60 days to respond to the board’s recommendations. In a statement to the New York Post, a spokesperson for the company said Meta is “constantly evaluating our policies to help make our platforms safer for everyone.”
See What Others Are Saying: (Mashable) (The New York Post) (Oversight Committee Decision)
Business
Amazon Labor Union Receives Official Union Certification
Published
3 weeks agoon
January 12, 2023By
Star Pralle
The company already plans to appeal the decision.
Amazon Labor Union’s Victory
The National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday certified the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) Staten Island election from April, despite Amazon’s objections.
After Staten Island staffers won the vote to unionize by 500 votes in the spring of 2022, Amazon quickly filed a slew of objections, claiming that the ALU had improperly influenced the election. Amazon pushed for the results to be overturned.
Now, the National Labor Relations Board has dismissed Amazon’s allegations and certified the election. This certification gives legitimacy to the ALU and puts Amazon in a position to be penalized should they decide not to bargain with the union in good faith.
“We’re demanding that Amazon now, after certification, meet and bargain with us,” ALU attorney Seth Goldstein said to Motherboard regarding the certification. “We’re demanding bargaining, and if we need to, we’re going to move to get a court order enforcing our bargaining rights. It’s outrageous that they’ve been violating federal labor while they continue to do so.”
Negotiate or Appeal
Amazon has until Jan. 25 to begin bargaining with the ALU, or the online retailer can appeal the decision by the same deadline. The company has already announced its plan to appeal.
“As we’ve said since the beginning, we don’t believe this election process was fair, legitimate, or representative of the majority of what our team wants,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel, said in a statement.
This win comes after two recent defeats in ALU’s unionization efforts. The union lost an election at a facility in Albany and another in Staten Island.
ALU’s director Chris Smalls told Yahoo! Finance that he is unconcerned about these losses.
“For us, whatever campaign is ready to go, the Amazon Labor Union is going to throw their support behind it, no matter what…We know that it’s going to take collective action for Amazon to come to the table,” he told the outlet. “So, for us, it’s never unsuccessful. These are growing pains, and we’re going to fight and continue to grow.”
See what others are saying: (Vice) (NPR) (Bloomberg)

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