[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] Site says: “University of York doesn’t care about male suicide” [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]
The University is advertising on the alt-right site, Breitbart News, Vision can reveal. Breitbart has personally targeted York staff and students in the past, most notably over the controversy surrounding the cancellation of International Men’s Day (IMD) in November 2015.
Breitbart has previously come under fire for harassing York students amid a backlash against the cancellation of IMD. One writer on the site wrote of a then YUSU officer: “If this were Tinder, you’d ask for your money back”, linking to their personal Facebook pictures.
Another piece on the extreme online publication branded York as being full of “campus crazies” due to some students’ opposition to the celebration of IMD.
The right-wing outlet has also slammed the Uni itself, raising further ethics questions about the suitability of York’s advertisements on the site.
Shockingly, one article on the alt-right site alleges that “the University of York doesn’t care about male suicide” because of its decision not to mark the day. Another, penned by inflammatory commentator, Milo Yiannopolous, called the Uni “pathetic and spineless” over a failed bid by a student to host a talk by him.
Ben Walker, a third year History student, blasted the University, saying “The university advertising on a site that has actively targeted our students is a betrayal.
If they’re trying to attract Breitbart’s readership to the University then frankly they’ve betrayed not only the students that have suffered as a result of their poisonous journalism but every student that opposes their narrative”.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http://www.yorkvision.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Breitbart-for-website-1.jpg” alt=”Uni advert for %22student wellbeing%22 appears on extreme online site” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”left” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] [/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] “Student wellbeing”… Yet ad appears on site which has attacked York students [/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http://www.yorkvision.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/breitbart-for-website-2.jpg” alt=”Screenshot showing uni on Breitbart News” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”left” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] [/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]
“Betrayal”… Students slam uni for allowing ads to appear on Breitbart News
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YUSU’s Wellbeing and Community Officer, Dom Smithies told Vision: “I believe our institution should support good quality media – as they do with the formidable student media we have on campus.
The Uni may not be aware of this advertising if they’re going through an advertising agency. I personally would hope and encourage that, upon being made aware, they take action to remove any and all advertising from the site, following the example of other universities.”
Several universities have blocked their adverts from appearing on the incendiary website following outcries on social media. Sheffield Uni pledged to remove their advertising presence from Breitbart in January, as did Sheffield Hallam, Queens Belfast and Loughborough.
Liverpool and Stirling universities also publicly stated last month that they have banned their adverts from appearing on the outlet.
An anonymous social media campaign, called Sleeping Giants, has been encouraging Twitter users to name and shame organisations which are supporting Breitbart with their advertising presence. According to the campaign, over 1,200 companies and organisations have divested from Breitbart, including big brands such as Kellogg’s, Audi and T-Mobile.
The campaign has intensified in the wake of the appointment of Breitbart’s former Chief Executive, Stephen Bannon, as Donald Trump’s Chief Adviser.
David Duncan, the University’s Registrar, said in a statement to Vision: “I’m quite sure that the University of York has not taken out advertising space on the Breitbart website; however, it may be that online advertising on behalf of the University of York appears automatically on a range of websites with a wide variety of political perspectives.
This should not be taken as an endorsement of any particular political viewpoint. I am unclear whether it is possible to request that online advertising only appears on specific websites.”
The university still has not taken steps to block their adverts from appearing on Breitbart News, Vision understands.
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