Protect access to the abortion pill!

Protect access to the abortion pill!

Walgreens just announced that it will not distribute the abortion pill mifepristone in a whopping 24 states--including states where abortion remains completely legal. This is a devastating blow to abortion access. Will you make a donation to help UltraViolet Action fight back?

Donate Now

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mis·in·for·ma·tion:

false or inaccurate information, regardless of whether it is intended to deceive. Source: Washington Post

dis·in·for·ma·tion:

false information deliberately and often covertly spread (as by the planting of rumors) in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth Source: Merriam-Webster

mal·in·for·ma·tion:

genuine information which is intended to harm individuals or groups, includes leaks, harassment, and hate speech. Source: Brookings Institute

We're calling on social media platforms to:

Broaden definitions of hate speech to include misogyny, bias, and attacks against Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and transgender people, and gendered and racialized disinformation;

Establish an enforceable and escalating process for reporting and removing hate speech, disinformation, misogyny, and white supremacy;

Enforce policies that protect survivors of hate, abuse, and harassment; and,

Shift internal platform policies and culture to address and acknowledge misogyny and its intersections with other harms to marginalized identities.

Keep scrolling to learn more about our recommendations.

Overview

Disinformation has emerged in recent years as the primary mode for right-wing radicalization, with the spread of hate speech, racism, sexism, misogyny, and more. Social media and tech platforms have become the new homes for hate. With this emergence, UltraViolet has once again stepped up to the challenge to hold Big Tech accountable for its actions and influence in spreading sexist disinformation and empowering everyday users on the internet to fight back.

According to PEW Research, three quarters of Black and Latinx people and two-thirds of women say that online harassment is a major problem. Hate and disinformation online are used by groups like the Proud Boys, the 3%ers, and more to recruit and radicalize everyday users. And ultimately, its algorithms used by social media platforms which make it easier for users to fall down the Rabbit Hole and the profits earned from disinformation, clickbait, and conspiracy theories which prevent change.

Disinformation, misinformation and bias causes serious harm and “can inspire both online and offline attacks” (UltraViolet Disinfo Media Accountability Guide, 2020). It also often focuses on those most marginalized in society, particularly Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, women and girls, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, and people belonging to religious minorities, all of whom are at a greater risk of becoming targets of disinformation campaigns, hate speech, and violence.

At UltraViolet, we know that the line between the online and “real” world is permeable. Online speech and disinformation has real world consequences. Social media platforms and tech companies have a responsibility to address the transformation of misinformation to disinformation to mitigate harm before it can become malinformation– what ultimately leads violence, harm, hate speech, and harassment on- and offline. That’s why we advocate for bad actors to be deplatformed from social media platforms. We know that deplatforming not only makes online spaces safer for those most marginalized by society, but it actually works at curbing the spread of disinformation and hate speech. “Deplatforming is effective in minimizing the reach of disinformation and extreme speech” (Deplatforming the far-right: An analysis of YouTube and BitChute∗, Rauchfleisch and Kaiser).

Our work on disinformation is rooted in fighting for an anti-racist, anti-misogynist, feminist future. From our beginning nearly a decade ago, UltraViolet has been at the forefront in the fight against disinformation and media accountability. From the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Google and Cost-per-Click ads, and deceptive anti-choice advertising, to taking on Donald Trump, the Disinformer-in-Chief, and the spread of sexism and misogyny on platforms like Reddit, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, we have a track record of showing up in solidarity with those most impacted by lies and disinformation.

There is so much more work to be done to ensure an online and offline world free from sexism, misogyny, racism, and bigotry. UltraViolet is proud to show up alongside our partners in this ever evolving world of digital organizing, policy advocacy, and movement building. We hope you join us in taking the pledge to stand in solidarity with truth and justice in this ongoing fight against misogyny and hate.

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A FEMINIST INTERNET

Social media is not a safe place for Black, Indigenous, Asian American/Pacific Islander/Desi, Latinx, and women of color, who face an onslaught of both racist and misogynist attacks, including vicious gendered disinformation campaigns.

The policy recommendations in this document have been put together by UltraViolet, with extensive input and research from advocacy groups, researchers, and experts across the gender, racial, LGBTQ, and media justice spaces. By adopting, enacting, and enforcing these recommendations, social media platforms will champion gender equity and protect the speech and safety of women, girls, and other marginalized people.

View the recommendations

SOCIAL MEDIA FAILS WOMEN THE REPORT CARD

In addition to policy recommendations, UltraViolet released a report card assigning letter grades to social media platforms such as Facebook/Instagram, YouTube/Google, TikTok, Reddit, and Twitter.

Each platform is graded based on current hate speech policies and processes, including the removal of disinformation, threats of violence, white nationalist content, and discrimination based on gender identity, race, and sexual orientation. UltraViolet worked with research group Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) to investigate and review current policies and enforcement procedures across the platforms.

See the report card

join us in the fight for truth

I pledge to fight for truth and hold Big Tech accountable for its role in the spread of disinformation, lies, and hate.

I would like to:

DISINFO MEDIA ACCOUNTABILITY GUIDE

The media must play a role in ensuring that women and people of color running for, nominated for, or holding positions of power in government are represented fairly.

With the nomination process due to begin soon for the first Black woman Supreme Court justice, this updated guide will help journalists, reporters, and social media platforms identify and avoid unintentional sexist and racist bias or disinformation when interviewing, writing about, or moderating content about women and people of color, particularly Black women.

Download The Guide

SUPREME COURT NOMINATION, 2022 MIDTERM ELECTIONS, AND ACCOUNTABILITY DEMANDS

In the age of social media, major platforms such as Facebook and Instagram (Meta), YouTube (Google/Alphabet), Twitter, TikTok, and Reddit each play a critical role in defining how women candidates and elected leaders are perceived by voters and the public. Amplification of headlines, photos, social media previews, and article content through algorithms can spread racist and sexist ideas and encourage or legitimize disinformation. Without policies and enforcements in place, sexist, racist, and misogynistic content online perpetuates hate and deepens belief in harmful stereotypes.

The Women’s Disinformation Defense Project, a coalition of gender and racial justice organizations, launched in 2020 with the goal of holding media and platforms accountable, as the U.S. elected the most diverse Congress in our nation’s history and the first Black and Indian American woman became vice president. The WDDP has mobilized now, at this critical time, to ensure the U.S. Supreme Court nominee is able to get through the nomination process without enduring racist and sexist attacks.

We are calling on major social media platforms to commit to the following three issue areas in the lead-up to the SCOTUS nomination and the 2022 midterm elections: eliminate disinformation, depolarize the algorithm and moderation practices, and enforce and deplatform hate and violence. These demands are based off of UltraViolet’s platform accountability demands launched in 2021.

Check out the WDDP’s memo to Big Tech here.

Actions

Tell Social Media Companies: Stop the spread of abortion lies!

Tell Social Media Companies: Stop the spread of abortion lies!

Social media companies like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok must stop endangering people's lives by allowing the spread of abortion lies on their platforms.

Sign on!
Tell Top Advertisers: Hold Twitter Accountable!

Tell Top Advertisers: Hold Twitter Accountable!

A future Twitter with Musk at the helm will not be a paradise of free speech–it will be a hellscape of violence, disinformation, white supremacy, hate speech, and misogyny. Demand advertisers hold Twitter accountable for ensuring women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and more stay safe online.

Join us, today!
#FixTheFeed

#FixTheFeed

Social media companies profit by promoting the worst, most incendiary, most harmful disinformation globally. Demand that Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube stop the spread of hateful, violent, misleading, and false content across languages in the run-up to the 2022 elections and beyond.

Tell Big Tech to clean up its act!
Disinformation needs to stop

Disinformation needs to stop

Tell Big Tech to stop the hate, white supremacy, misogyny, racism, and disinformation targeting Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

I'm with Justice Jackson!
Tell advertisers to stop supporting Spotify!

Tell advertisers to stop supporting Spotify!

Tell corporate CEOs: Stop advertising on Spotify as long as it lets "The Joe Rogan Experience" spread COVID-19 mis- and disinformation!

Click to sign!

Joe Rogan Has Got To Go

Tell Spotify CEO, Daniel Ek: Stop the Spread of Disinformation and Remove "The Joe Rogan Experience"

Join us!

Congress Must Regulate Big Tech!

It's past time for Congress to institute legislative action against Big Tech's rein. We’re calling on the Senate Subcommittee to begin the legislative process to hold platforms accountable for the harms caused.

Add your name

Protect Privacy and Civil Rights Online

Join us in demanding FTC Chair Lina Khan to use the FTC's rule making power to rein in Big Tech and make data-privacy a reality!

Join us today!

Big Tech: Social media is failing women

UltraViolet leads a letter to platforms from 75 nonprofits about misogyny, white supremacy, hate, and racism thriving online

Read the sign-on letter
We Demand a Safe Internet!

Social Media Fails Women

We Demand a Safe Internet!

Demand Big Tech immediately adopt and enforce our policies to address the misogyny, white supremacy, hate speech, and violence platforms are causing in our communities and to democracy itself.

Add Your Voice!
The Facebook Logout: Nov. 10-13

The Facebook Logout: Nov. 10-13

We deserve a better, safer social media experience. Without us Facebook is nothing. The Logout will show our power.

Take the Pledge
TikTok has a Neo-Nazi problem

TikTok has a Neo-Nazi problem

Tell TikTok to end its extremist algorithmic bias to stop the spread of hate

Tell TikTok, "enough!"

Twitter: Make it easy to report child sexual abuse!

Demand Twitter allow easy reporting and quick removal of child sexual abuse images!

Tell Twitter to stop!
Tell Congress: Hold Big Tech Accountable

Tell Congress: Hold Big Tech Accountable

Sign the petition and tell Congress to strengthen our antitrust laws and hold Big Tech companies like Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google accountable.

Sign on now!

Facebook and Twitter: Remove and Deplatform the Disinfo Dozen!

UltraViolet and partners are demanding Twitter and Facebook ban the “Disinfo Dozen” from its platforms!

Read the sign-on letter
Amazon is selling fake COVID-19 vaccine cards

Amazon is selling fake COVID-19 vaccine cards

Sign our petition calling on Amazon to stop the sale of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards!

Sign Our Petition
#COVIDLiesKill - Tell Twitter: We Need Options!

#COVIDLiesKill - Tell Twitter: We Need Options!

Join us in demanding Twitter add a reporting function and allow users to report tweets that spread disinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic!

Tell Twitter Now
No Instagram for Kids

No Instagram for Kids

Sign the petition and tell Mark Zuckerberg: NO Instagram for kids!

Tell Mark NO!
#KickTrumpOff

#KickTrumpOff

YouTube must permanently ban Trump. Tell YouTube: It's time to permanently ban Trump and his dangerous, hateful rhetoric.

Tell YouTube: Ban Trump!
Demand Netflix, Bacardi, and Mercedes-Benz stop funding lies about Kamala

Demand Netflix, Bacardi, and Mercedes-Benz stop funding lies about Kamala

The New York Post knowingly and intentionally published false information--based on racist and sexist stereotypes--about Vice President Kamala Harris. We’re demanding Netflix, Bacardi, Mercedes-Benz, and other companies to cut ties with the New York Post and denounce its racist and sexist attack on Kamala Harris.

Hold Netflix, Bacardi, and Mercedes-Benz Accountable

Stop Techsploitation

Social media and tech platforms are vectors for extremism, racism, misogyny, lies and violence. Tell Congress it's time to upend Big Tech’s hate-for-profit business model by adopting comprehensive privacy protections, taxing social media for spreading disinfo, regulating data collection, and using anti-trust to stop tech monopolies

Tell Congress: Stop Techsploitation

Press Releases