Study: Top social media platforms 'unsafe' for LGBTQ users

Top social media sites are 'categorically unsafe' for LGBTQ people, according to activist group GLAAD.  

According to GLAAD, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube allow LGBTQ people to be harassed regularly, and for harmful misinformation and disinformation about LGBTQ people to spread unchecked. 

The report found that these platforms, despite presenting themselves as LGBTQ-friendly, allow for daily harassment of LGBTQ people and the unchecked spread of harmful misinformation. GLAAD’s president and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis, argued that these companies have the tools to stop such behaviour but failed to do so.

The report also highlighted the real-world consequences of online harassment and discrimination, drawing direct lines between the spread of anti-trans misinformation online and the introduction of over 100 anti-trans bills at US state level.

GLAAD and a team of outside experts spent several months looking at each site, their policies and track record of enforcing those policies.

Research, advocacy 🧮

• GLAAD (2021). Social media safety index

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

• https://www.axios.com/glaad-study-facebook-instagram-youtube-tiktok-8d9555b6-4cee-4db8-8b51-5b5fdad0c749.html

• https://news.yahoo.com/glaad-finds-top-social-media-223102412.html

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/celebrity/glaad-says-every-top-social-media-site-is-e2-80-98categorically-unsafe-e2-80-99-for-lgbtq-users/ar-BB1gxRCi

• https://www.npr.org/2021/05/10/995328226/social-media-hate-speech-harassment-significant-problem-for-lgbtq-users-report

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-bar-is-low-for-the-social-media-industry-top-platforms-are-unsafe-for-lgbtq-community-new-report-says/ar-BB1gySVP

• https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/top-social-media-platforms-unsafe-lgbtq-users-report-finds-rcna889

• https://www.adweek.com/media/glaad-calls-the-entire-social-media-sector-unsafe-for-lgbtq-users/

• https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/diversity-inclusion/553535-new-report-says-big-tech-algorithms-promote-hate

• https://www.mediamatters.org/tiktok/tiktoks-recommendation-algorithm-promoting-homophobia-and-anti-trans-violence