New Report Card Grades Social Media Platforms on Handling of Harassment, Hate Speech, Misogyny, Disinformation
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CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
New Report Card Grades Social Media Platforms on Handling of Harassment, Hate Speech, Misogyny, Disinformation
UltraViolet suggests policy overhaul to Facebook, Google, Tiktok, Reddit & Twitter backed by 75 advocacy groups
New policy demands from UltraViolet include expansion in definition of hate speech, stopping the spread of gendered and racialized disinformation
Today, national gender justice organization 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.
VIEW THE REPORT HERE: https://weareuv.us/feministnetreport
VIEW THE REPORT CARD HERE: https://weareuv.us/reportcard
Accompanying the report card is a set of policy recommendations that provide solutions for how social media companies can improve their platforms and avoid discriminationtoward women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ population. The letter has been endorsed by 75 groups. across the progressive movement in the US and abroad, including Color of Change, Friends of the Earth, GLAAD, Media Justice, Media Matters MoveOn, Muslim Advocates, National Hispanic Media Coalition, the New Georgia Project, Unitarian Universalist Association, United We Dream, SisterSong, SumOfUs, and Women’s March.
Enforcing and implementing anti-harassment and discrimination policies
Expanding the definition of hate speech
Stopping the spread of disinformation
Providing support for victims of harassment on their platforms
Shift internal culture, conduct anti-racist workplace trainings, and create policies
VIEW THE LETTER & FULL LIST OF 75 SIGNERS HERE: https://weareuv.us/feministnetletter
“We released this report card and policy demands after ample time spent analyzing social media platforms’ hate speech policies and enforcement, or lack thereof.” said Bridget Todd, communications director at UltraViolet. “It’s apparent now more than ever that social media companies like Facebook are intentionally harming users by manipulating algorithms to spark addictive tendencies, preying on vulnerable young women and girls, and tolerating harassment against Black, Indigenous, and women of color, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, religious minorities, and other systemically oppressed communities. These companies have had long enough to fix their act. They must move to adopt these policies immediately, and Congress must step in and create regulations in order to further reduce the harms they cause to the public.
“Social media has become an almost ubiquitous part of modern life. Despite the advantages of keeping in touch on social media platoforms, we can’t allow the companies behind them to peddle lies and conspiracy theories, or tacitly condone racist, misogynistic, homophobic and transphobic attacks.”
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