Social media giants are allegedly falling short in safeguarding the digital wellbeing of LGBTQ users, asserts advocacy group GLAAD.
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Hey there! Let's dive into the latest scoop on social media platforms and their treatment of the LGBTQ+ community. The advocacy group, GLAAD, has slammed major platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Meta's Facebook for neglecting to safeguard the community from hate and harassment.
In their annual Social Media Safety Index report, GLAAD points out that recent policy changes, more like rollbacks, from these platforms not only undermine the safety of LGBTQ+ users online but also offline. Take a look at Meta, for example - their updated policy now allows users to label LGBTQ+ folks as "mentally ill," among other policy adjustments. Ouch!
The report grades each platform based on LGBTQ safety, privacy, and expression. Elon Musk's X claimed the bottom spot with a rating of 30 out of 100, while TikTok scored 56 points. Meta's Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Google's YouTube came clustered in the 40s. But bear in mind, the scoring system's tweaked this year, so direct comparisons with prior reports may be a bit tricky.
GLAAD's CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis, expresses her concern: "With real-world violence and harassment against the LGBTQ community on the rise, social media companies are cashing in on the flames of anti-LGBTQ hate rather than ensuring the basic safety of LGBTQ users."
Meta's recent policy shift can be largely attributed to CEO Mark Zuckerberg's stance in January, who declared the removal of restrictions on topics like immigration and gender, citing "recent elections" as a catalyst. However, GLAAD calls this rollback "particularly extreme."
Now, let me spoon-feed you some tasty enrichment data. Meta's policy changes have been criticized for potentially encouraging more hate speech and harassment against LGBTQ+ users. The lack of explicit protections, such as preventing deadnaming, has been recognized as a significant concern. YouTube, on the other hand, has been criticized for retracting some policy protections for transgender and nonbinary people.
Tech reps from Meta, TikTok, and X didn't comment on the criticism at press time. Google counters GLAAD's accusations, insisting that their hate speech policy hasn't changed and that they're making efforts to eliminate harmful content swiftly. Nevertheless, the report demands YouTube to reverse the policy change and reestablish gender identity and expression as a protected characteristic.
The report ends with policy recommendations, including protecting the LGBTQ community from hate, harassment, and violence, prohibiting targeted misgendering and "deadnaming," and outlining the steps to stop incorrectly removing or demonetizing authentic accounts and content related to LGBTQ topics. However, it remains unclear if these platforms will take heed, given the recent trend of rolling back protections.
Stay tuned for more updates on this topic!
Bonus Reading: Curious about the latest developments in other industries? Here are some top business stories that caught our eye:
- Boeing marks return from crisis with record Qatar air deal
- Why is Microsoft, the world's most valuable company, thinning its herd?
- Bastyr University prepares to part ways with its Kenmore campus, yet to settle in the Seattle area
- Seattle to Portland air travel? Airline gives the route another shot
- Microsoft cuts Washington workers as it trims 3% of its global staff
- The recent policy changes implemented by Microsoft, the world's most valuable company, have raised questions and concerns about the potential impact on various areas, including social media, entertainment, and policy-and-legislation.
- In Seattle, a city known for tech giants like Microsoft, the local news also highlights stories about businesses such as Boeing, which marked its return from crisis with a record air deal, and Bastyr University, which is preparing to part ways with its Kenmore campus and is yet to settle in the Seattle area.
- Meanwhile, COVID-19 and its aftermath continue to influence the job market, with companies like Microsoft cutting its workforce globally, resulting in layoffs in Washington state.
- Lastly, the airline industry is showing signs of recovery with Seattle-to-Portland travel being offered again by some airlines, demonstrating a return to normalcy in the entertainment and transportation sectors.
