Nonprofit calls on social platforms to make changes to combat online harassment

In a new report released today , free expression advocacy group PEN America called on social media platforms like Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , and others to implement product design changes to address online harassment.

The report offers recommendations to all technology companies but focuses primarily on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter because those are the platforms heavily used by U.S. journalists and writers in their work.

The report says online harassment has a disproportionate impact on public discourse , disproportionately harming users such as writers , journalists , women , people of color , LGBTQIA+, and religious and ethnic minorities .

“Online harassment is a direct and pressing threat to free expression , ” Viktorya Vilk , director of PEN America’s digital safety and free expression program and one of the report’s authors , said in an interview .

Product design suggestions mentioned in the report include a dashboard that can filter abusive content , an "SOS" button for harassed users , and a documentation function that allows users to easily record harassment incidents .

Facebook said it would review the recommendations in the report and reiterated its commitment to making users feel safe on Facebook and Instagram .

The company pointed to current policies and features users can use to address unwanted contact on Facebook and Instagram , such as blocking or limiting accounts , adjusting messaging settings , controlling comments, and limiting tags or mentions . Instagram also announced new measures in February to combat harassment sent via direct messages .

A Twitter spokesperson said journalists are an important part of the platform and the company is working to ensure users are protected from online harassment . Twitter highlighted features users can use to address online harassment, such as muting , blocking and limiting replies in conversations .

"We will be enabling a dedicated safety mode to allow people on Twitter to proactively filter spam and abusive content, " a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement.

A Pew Research Center study in January found that 79% of Americans surveyed said social media companies were doing an average or even poor job of addressing online harassment on their platforms . Judging from user feedback, the major platforms still have a long way to go ...

Social Media

Cyber ​​harassment

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