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In April 2013, Vani Hari, activist and author of the blog Food Babe, petitioned Kraft to remove from their products the petroleum-based dyes that have been linked to ADHD and require a warning label in the European Union. A spokesperson for Kraft responded only that Kraft was following the FDA guidelines for what could and could not be in their products.
The following month, Hari posted a hoax video showing a warning label on Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in a U.K. grocery. Hari then used the video to spur her followers and those of other activist groups into hijacking Kraft’s Facebook page. This study examines the impact of the video hoax and a growing trend of activists using the target organization’s social media sites to propagate campaign messages opposing the target organization’s practices.
Method
The websites and blogs of Kraft and Food Babe were examined to identify official comments regarding the controversy. Media coverage of the case was then collected via a Google News search and examined to create a case timeline and narrative. An interview was conducted with Hari and a Kraft spokesperson provided statements via email. User generated comments added under Kraft’s posts on their Macaroni and Cheese Facebook page from May 28 to June 15, 2013 were collected and coded as either positive/neutral or negative....
Slacktivism. Online activists vs. Kraft Foods: A case of social media hijacking.