Major social media platforms inadequately protect users from anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and Twitter is “the most dangerous platform for LGBTQ people,” advocacy group GLAAD said Thursday.
In its third annual Social Media Safety Index, GLAAD — the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization — gave Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter low or failing scores in protecting LGBTQ users from hate speech and harassment.
And those who identify as transgender, non-binary, or gender non-conforming are most affected by online anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, according to the report.
“These platforms continue to fail at enforcing the safeguarding of LGBTQ users from online hate speech, fail at providing transparency in the use of LGBTQ-specific user data and fail in expressing commitments to protecting LGBTQ users,” the group said on Twitter.
GLAAD’s report evaluates the five major social media platforms with a focus on LGBTQ safety, privacy, and expression. The report’s scorecard is based on 12 LGBTQ-specific indicators, including if company policies protect LGBTQ users from hate and harassment, and prohibits harmful and discriminatory advertising content.
While most platforms have improved since last year’s report, Twitter saw a decline in its score — to 33% from 45%. Instagram scored 63%, Facebook 61%, TikTok 57% and YouTube 54% on the 2023 report.
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Increase in attacks on Twitter
Since Elon Musk took over Twitter last October, multiple advocacy groups have said attacks on LGBTQ users have significantly increased due to policy changes and a reduction in staffing for content moderators.
In April, Twitter removed its 2018 policy against the “targeted misgendering or deadnaming of transgender individuals.” And instead of removing some tweets that are “potentially” in violation of its rules against hateful conduct, Twitter said it will only put warning labels on the posts.
Musk, who has said Twitter’s previous policies were too restricting, has also repeatedly engaged with far-right figures and pushed misinformation to his 143 million followers.
A December 2022 report from Media Matters and GLAAD found that right-wing figures’ tweets that included the anti-LGBTQ “groomer” slur increased substantially. According to the 2022 report, the term, which falsely links LGBTQ+ people’s interactions with children to the actions of child molesters, was considered a violation of Twitter’s hateful conduct policy when used in the context of gender identity prior to Musk’s takeover.
GLAAD CEO and President Sarah Kate Ellis said before Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, the platform was a “leader” in protecting LGBTQ users.
“Twitter is largely a cesspool now. You can’t post without getting attacked. There’s no room for conversation. It is just about hand-to-hand combat,” Ellis told the Associated Press. “And that’s what it is. It’s like backyard dogfights.”
Twitter auto-replied with a poop emoji to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
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Social media platforms need to ‘strengthen and enforce existing policies‘
LGBTQ advocates have repeatedly warned that online hate and harassment can severely impact a person’s mental health. Online violence can also lead to offline violence, according to GLAAD.
“Anti-LGBTQ rhetoric on social media translates to real-world offline harms,” GLAAD said in its Social Media Safety Index findings.
Although Meta platforms, TikTok and Youtube saw score increases this year, GLAAD said the platforms need to “step up” and secure the safety of their online spaces.
GLAAD recommended platforms to “strengthen and enforce existing policies” that protect users from hate and harassment; train moderators; be transparent; promote civil discourse; and to stop violating data privacy.
In a prepared statement, a Meta spokesperson told USA TODAY that the company works with civil society organizations around the world to “design policies and create tools that foster a safe online environment.”
“This approach is always evolving, and input from LGBTQ+ safety and advocacy organizations is critical to informing and continually improving Meta’s technologies and programs,” the statement said.
TikTok and YouTube both told the Associated Press that the platforms welcome GLAAD’s input, and that their policies prohibit harassment and hate speech.
Contributing: The Associated Press