Using Black Friday as a launchpad, Lush Cosmetics teamed up with non-profit organisation Access Now to present the next stage of its #KeepItOn campaign and the launch of its Error 404 bathbomb.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of government ordered internet shutdowns. Access Now – which defends the digital rights of global internet users – recorded more than 50 shutdowns worldwide in 2016.
Many view these internet shutdowns as a way of silencing individuals or groups, and a breach of digital rights including the right to a free and open internet.
Deji Bryce Olukotun, Senior Global Advocacy Manager at Access Now, said that internet shutdowns are early warning sites of “atrocities”. He said: “They block emergency services and prevent people from communicating with their loved ones.
"They also harm economies – shutdowns are like avalanches that shear through the foundation for economic growth, wrecking lives and businesses along the way.”
Lush aims to generate £250k from the sale of a limited edition bath bomb, Error 404, which it has launched today, to donate to Access Now, while other grassroots digital activists will be invited to apply for grants.
Jack Constantine, Chief Digital Officer at Lush, said: “As the Internet becomes a more integral part of our daily lives, we need to protect these newly forming rights and ensure a fair and equal internet for all.”
