Spoiler alert: they choose the dosh.

Social media behemoths, whose annual profits are in the hundreds of billions, time and again prioritise their financial interests over the safety and wellbeing of their LGBTIQ users. Instead of investing enough resources into effective content moderation, staff training, and developing inclusive algorithms, they prefer to turn a blind eye to the harassment, hate speech and disinformation that traumatises and marginalises the LGBTIQ community.

GLAAD’s shocking 2024 report on LGBTIQ Safety in Social Media lays bare this sad reality. None of the leading platforms, except TikTok, managed to score higher than a pitiful “F” for their efforts to protect LGBTIQ folks. And this is even though those same companies raked in astronomical sums last year: Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads) – $134 billion, Google (YouTube) – $31.5 billion, Twitter – $2.5 billion. Instead of investing in the safety of vulnerable groups, this dosh lines the deep pockets of shareholders and top brass.

What’s more, the recommendation and targeted advertising algorithms of these platforms actively fuel hatred and conflicts, as this increases user engagement and profits. They capitalise on anti-LGBTIQ hatred, turning the fight against discrimination into a controversial topic for hype and clicks. At the same time, they disproportionately restrict the voices of LGBTIQ creators and activists themselves under the pretext of violating vague community guidelines.

Key figures from the report:

 

• In the LGBTIQ safety rating, all major platforms except TikTok (67%, D+) received an F grade: Facebook – 58%, Instagram – 58%, YouTube – 58%, Threads – 51%, Twitter – 41%.
• Platforms’ annual advertising revenue in 2023: Meta (Facebook/Instagram/Threads) – $134 billion, TikTok – $120 billion, YouTube – $31.5 billion, Twitter – $2.5 billion.
• The study identified over 700 incidents of anti-LGBTIQ extremism in the US in the year following the attack on Club Q in Colorado.
• 40% of these incidents targeted drag performances and drag artists, often using false claims about “corrupting children”.
• 10% of all anti-LGBTIQ incidents targeted schools and universities, often with rhetoric about “transgender propaganda”.
• 6% of anti-LGBTIQ incidents were against medical facilities providing gender-affirmative care, with claims of “mutilating children”.
• 94% of respondents in Australia’s largest study saw transphobic hate online in the past year. Nearly 50% of transgender people experienced online transphobia.

Other key takeaways:

• Platform algorithms and recommendations often amplify anti-LGBTIQ narratives while over-moderating legitimate LGBTIQ content.
• There is a lack of transparency regarding content moderation, algorithms, and the protection of LGBTIQ user data.
• Platforms need to invest more in moderation in multiple languages, training moderators on LGBTIQ needs, and partnering with researchers.
• Regulatory oversight and rules on harmful platform business practices must take into account LGBTIQ rights and needs.
• It is important to counter key anti-LGBTIQ narratives: accusing LGBTIQ people of paedophilia/grooming children, “gender ideology”, disinformation about gender-affirmative care, etc.

This data and conclusions point to the need for systemic changes in how social networks operate to ensure the safety of LGBTIQ users. The GLAAD report contains other important findings as well:

• According to an HRC survey, 96% of LGBTIQ youth saw offensive or harmful LGBTIQ content on social media. Half of LGBTIQ youth experienced cyberbullying due to their identity in the past year.
• 5% of LGBTIQ youth (67.3% of transgender youth) were not confident that platforms would take action if they reported cyberbullying or hate speech.
• 2% of LGBTIQ youth (16.7% of transgender youth) do not feel safe participating in online activities.
• A new Instagram post by the organisation Men Having Babies featuring a photo of two dads with a newborn baby was mistakenly flagged as “sensitive content”. This is part of a broader trend of disproportionate censorship of LGBTIQ content.
• A Norwegian study found that the number of tweets about transgender people increased from 1485 to 23465 (almost 16 times) between 2018-2022. 47% of content about transgender people contained hate.
• According to GLAAD, more and more platforms are adding policies against targeted misgendering/deadnaming and advertising conversion therapy thanks to human rights advocacy.
• In Ghana, a project identified foreign (mostly US evangelical) influence in fuelling anti-LGBTIQ sentiment on social media, leading to a draconian bill against LGBTIQ people.

The 2024 GLAAD Social Media Safety Index demonstrates the global scale of the problem of online hatred and disinformation against LGBTIQ folks on leading digital platforms. Despite having anti-discrimination policies, platforms often fail to moderate harmful content and disproportionately restrict LGBTIQ voices themselves. Data on the link between online hate and real-world violence, the particular risk to LGBTIQ youth, and the lack of trust in platforms to protect against cyberbullying is deeply concerning.

These findings are relevant for Ukraine as well, where despite progress in recent years, the LGBTIQ community still faces prejudice, discrimination and security challenges. The online space plays a huge role in the lives of LGBTIQ people, providing opportunities for communication, self-expression and mobilisation. At the same time, it has become a springboard for spreading hate speech, disinformation and incitement to real-life hate crimes.

Ukraine already has legal provisions that should protect LGBTIQ people from discrimination and hate speech in the media and online. The Law of Ukraine “On Principles of Prevention and Combating Discrimination in Ukraine” prohibits behaviour that degrades human dignity or creates a hostile, offensive atmosphere towards certain groups, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. This provision applies not only to individual speakers, but also to the activities of government bodies and local self-government.

In addition, the new Law of Ukraine “On Media” explicitly prohibits the dissemination in the media and on video platforms of statements that incite discrimination or oppression on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity. For violating this provision, the media regulator can apply sanctions provided by law.