Patreon

California
Commercial and Professional Services, Media and Entertainment

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Danger
High Risk

Patreon has removed conservative figures from its fundraising platform due to "hate speech." Patreon's guidelines are vague and interpretative, giving the company the ability to terminate business relationships with whom it disagrees. Patreon does not protect its employees against viewpoint discrimination. The company has pledged support to BLM and related causes and signed an open letter in support of the Equality Act. Patreon signed multiple statements in opposition to anti-LGBTQ legislation and signed an amicus brief in opposition of former president Trump's immigration policy. For these reasons, Patreon receives a High Risk rating.

Criteria
Risk Level
Rationale
Corporate Weaponization
Criteria

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Risk Level
Rationale

Patreon has banned numerous influential conservative personalities, including BlazeTV host Sydney Watson, from using its platform, with little explanation and no possibility of appeal (1)(2). Patreon’s Community Guidelines regarding hate speech are extremely vague and subject to weaponized interpretation; for example, the company states that “criticism of a State, institution, or belief” must be “legitimate,” which reads as though the company itself is the arbiter of the legitimacy of its users’ opinions (3).

Criteria

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level
N/A
Rationale

Patreon does not publish charitable giving guidelines.

Criteria

Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.

Risk Level
Rationale

Patreon does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (1)(2).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy
Criteria

Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

Patreon signed an open letter in support of the Equality Act and was part of the Freedom for All Americans coalition, which advocated for federal legislation that would overrule state laws designed to protect girls’ sports and similar laws (1)(2). The company also signed the HRC’s statement of opposition to an Iowa state law prohibiting the entry of transgender youth into women’s sports (3). Patreon signed an amicus brief opposing former President Donald Trump’s immigration policy (4). The company also uses its Twitter platform to support left-wing organizations such as Black Lives Matter (BLM) and the HRC (5).

Criteria

Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

In 2020, Patreon pledged support to Black Lives Matter and related causes (1)(2).

Criteria

Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level
N/A
Rationale

Patreon does not operate a PAC at this time (1).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
September 14, 2023

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