Advocates Say Facebook Is Failing To Protect LGBTQ Users

According to a report from advocacy group GLAAD published this week, Facebook and other social media giants are failing to protect LGBTQ users from hate and harassment online.

The group’s second-annual Social Media Safety Index graded Facebook on LGBTQ safety, privacy and expression using 12 LGBTQ-specific standards. Facebook (and every other platform surveyed) scored below 50 percent. For its part, Facebook pledged to continue working closely with its partners in the civil rights community to improve its products. However, GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis was skeptical of the company’s words, accusing it of prioritizing profit over the well-being of its users.

“The hate and harassment, as well as misinformation and flat-out lies about LGBTQ people, that go viral on social media are creating real-world dangers,” Ellis wrote in the report. “At this point, after their years of empty apologies and hollow promises, we must also confront the knowledge that social media platforms and companies are prioritizing profit over LGBTQ safety and lives.”

GLAAD also urged Facebook to become more transparent about how it teaches content moderators to deal with these issues. However, unless Facebook continues dealing with this sort of outside pressure, it’s unlikely to make any big changes.




Recommended Resources

bitdefender Choose what the experts use: award-winning cybersecurity you can trust and rely on.

PIA Surf the web truly incognito. Try Bitdefender Premium VPN, the ultra-fast VPN that keeps your online identity and activities safe from hackers, ISPs and snoops.

System Mechanic 14 – Make your computer run like new. Winner of 200+ Editor’s Choice awards!

Meta Boosts User Privacy By Ending Facebook Login Requirement For Metaverse Previous post Meta Boosts User Privacy By Ending Facebook Login Requirement For Metaverse Regulator: Facebook Marketplace Is Full Of Banned And Recalled Products Next post Regulator: Facebook Marketplace Is Full Of Banned And Recalled Products