Why we campaign
Lush Digital believes technology should give more than it takes from society and the environment. Tech doesn’t have to be unethical; it can be built for the greater good and impact positive social change. We champion ethical hardware, ethical data, ethical design, and open source technologies and we support and elevate communities who feel the same.
Lush has campaigned on topics close to our hearts since before we opened our first shop. We campaign on human rights, environmental protection, and animal rights. Digital Rights are human rights.
For nearly a decade, we’ve been working alongside grassroots digital activists, communities, and campaign groups who share our beliefs. From fighting internet shutdowns, to raising awareness of mental health impacts of social media, and even working with Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen.
ESC Big Tech
We asked customers to take CTRL of their digital rights, partnering with People vs Big Tech to raise awareness about predatory algorithms and the surveillance-for-profit business model of Big Tech companies. We created The Cloud bath bomb, with 100% of the sales price (minus VAT) going to support People vs Big Tech’s mission of demanding a better internet.
2016
#KeepItOn with Access Now
On Black Friday 2016, in our first ever digital rights campaign, Lush websites around the globe were ‘switched off’, confronting users with a fake shutdown and urging them to take action. The worldwide #KeepitOn campaign was designed to raise awareness of the impact of internet shutdowns.It was accompanied by a limited edition bath bomb called Error 404, which raised funds for a Digital Fund to help keep the internet on around the globe.
raised for the Digital Fund
2018
What The Zuck at TNW
In light of Facebook declaring that 29 million users’ data had been leaked because of a bug, Lush created and sold a limited edition tote bag at The Next Web 2018 conference with the slogan “What the Zuck?” Proceeds went into the Lush Digital fund, supporting tech for good initiatives globally. #DataForGood #WhatTheZuck
2018
The Future Is In Your Hands
At our Lush Summit 2018, Lush Digital took over a large area dedicated to raising awareness of Digital Ethics alongside groups like Fairphone, the ethical phone company. The Summit launched a campaign on the growing issue of discarded tech, supported by sales of the limited edition Agbogbloshie bath bomb.
2019
Take CTRL and Bits of Freedom
Lush partnered with Bits of Freedom, a digital rights organisation based in the Netherlands “focused on privacy and freedom of communication online.” Accompanied by a tote bag with the slogan “Take CTRL”, the action was designed to create awareness and encourage people to make conscious choices in the way they use, choose and consume technology. The proceeds went to Bits of Freedom to support their mission.
2020
Digital Detox Day & The Wholeness Fund
On 5th September 2020, during lockdown, Lush partnered with IAMWHOLE and Zoe Sugg in Digital Detox Day – to advocate for putting our devices down for one whole day and to focus on our mental health. The campaign was a huge success, with hundreds of thousands taking part around the world. To coincide we also released an exclusive bath bomb called IRL. Money raised went into the Wholeness Fund, which aims to make grants available to grassroots groups focusing on mental health and wellbeing across the world.
raised for The Wholeness Fund
Further reading →
2021
Lush went Anti Social
In 2021 the Facebook Files were released thanks to whistleblower Frances Haugen, exposing the very real harms being caused on the platform. We at Lush didn’t want to wait for better worldwide regulations or for the platforms to introduce best practice guidelines, while a generation of young people are growing up experiencing serious and lasting harm. So we turned our back on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Whatsapp, and TikTok, until these platforms took action to provide a safer environment for users.
2023
Digital Divestment Roadmap
At SXSW in March, Lush announced our pledge to reduce spending on big tech by a third, reducing our dependence on tech giants – Google (Alphabet), Facebook, (Meta), Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft – while unwaveringly upholding our digital ethics. At the event we hosted a series of future-facing talks, including how to achieve a social future with the whistleblower who inspired our departure from Meta-owned platforms, Frances Haugen.
2023
Lush x The Future Laboratory Report
With a belief that tech should give more than it takes, Lush worked alongside strategic foresight consultancy The Future Laboratory, to commission the report: Digital Engagement: A Social Future. Findings include 55% of the 12,000 consumers we surveyed want Big Tech to have less control online, while 70% are calling for global legislation that protects the safety of users online. The report formed the basis for The SOCIAL Framework manifesto. A set of six principles, for digital spaces, platforms and engagement, designed to enable a techno-optimist future to flourish.
Further reading →
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