Businesses boycotted by conservatives

During 2020 Trump and others advocated for boycotts of left-wing businesses, or "buy-cotts" if the company supported a right-wing cause. Chic-fil-a, which had formerly been at the center of the boycott dispute, ended its donations to the Salvation Army in 2019 and therefore was not a major figure in the boycotts and buy-cotts.

Background

Prior to George Floyd's death in late May, 2020, most American businesses had attempted a policy of political neutrality. Following forms of left-wing violence, including riots, businesses declared solidarity with Black Lives Matter and turned to the political left in the hope of avoiding the effects of widespread looting and receiving positive press coverage from left-wing outlets including CNN, ABC News, and NBC News. Big businesses donated amounts ranging from $1,000,000 in the case of Home Depot to $100 million in the case of Walmart to combat what they alleged was systemic racism within their companies, often accompanied with politically correct company statements. Big Tech and other businesses took action against conservatives, banning support for President Trump or aiming to obstruct his re-election campaign. In August 2020 an instructor at a diversity training event at Goodyear, a company with over 60,000 employees, launched a "zero tolerance" policy banning expression of Trump support or Blue Lives Matter.

Goodyear

Trump responded on Twitter, urging supporters, "Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES - They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS," and referring to left-wing boycotts, "Two can play the same game."

Social media

In September 2019 The Federalist published an article criticizing Facebook's censorship tactics. According the report by The Federalist, an organization by the name of Science Feedback had claimed that two pro-life videos were "false"; Facebook responded by warning the group responsible for the videos, Live Action, and reducing the organization's Facebook "distribution". Shortly after a post commenting on a Glenn Beck interview was censored, and Facebook refused to respond to requests for comment.

Facebook created an "Oversight Board" in its efforts it alleges will combat hate speech; the action was criticized by the New York Post editorial board in May 2020. Among the appointed members of the board are Alan Rusbridger, former editor-in-chief of the far-left The Guardian, and Jamal Greene, a former aide for Kamala Harris. The article implied that the Oversight Board may become "thought police."