CrossFit quits Facebook and Instagram, citing privacy concerns

CrossFit, the popular fitness and lifestyle program with a cult-like following, broke up with Facebook and Instagram on Friday, citing security and privacy concerns.

CrossFit, Inc., which boasts 15,000 affiliates and millions of followers, said it was investigating alleged security problems and opposed what it called Facebook's overwhelming influence on"the marketplace of public thought," the fitness company said in a statement.

"All activity on CrossFit, Inc.'s Facebook and Instagram accounts was suspended as of May 22, 2019, as CrossFit investigates the circumstances pertaining to Facebook's deletion of the Banting7DayMealPlan and other well-known public complaints about the social-media company that may adversely impact the security and privacy of our global CrossFit community," CrossFit said in a statement.

The breakup story began when Facebook, which owns Instagram, deleted "without warning or explanation" the Banting7DayMealPlan group, CrossFit claimed.

The group had 1.65 million users who post testimonials and shared information supporting low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets, the fitness company said.

Even though the group has since been reinstated on the platform, "Facebook's action should give any serious person reason to pause, especially those of us engaged in activities contrary to prevailing opinion," CrossFit said.

The fitness company said these actions are in line with its "tireless defense of its community against overreaching governments, malicious competitors, and corrupt academic organizations."

In addition, CrossFit, which is vocal about extolling the virtues of the brand and its contrarian identity, said it was investigating other allegations regarding the social media behemoth, including how the company "collects and aggregates user information and shares it with state and federal authorities, as well as security organizations from other countries," and how the company "collaborates with government security agencies on massive citizen surveillance programs."

Lastly, CrossFit claimed that Facebook is "acting in the service of food and beverage industry interests by deleting the accounts of communities that have identified the corrupted nutritional science responsible for unchecked global chronic disease," going so far as to write, "Facebook is thus complicit in the global chronic disease crisis."

Facebook declined to comment for this story.