Cynthia Erivo, Elliot Page and More Call on Social Media CEOs to End Anti-LGBTQ Content and Hate Speech on Platforms
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Cynthia Erivo, Elliot Page and more are among more than 200 signatories of an open letter GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign put together to push social media platforms to clamp down on hate speech, harassment and misinformation directed at the LGBTQ community.
“True allies do not profit from anti-LGBTQ hate,” GLAAD’s letter read, which was released on Tuesday in partnership with HRC. “There has been a massive systemic failure to prohibit hate, harassment, and malicious anti-LGBTQ disinformation on your platforms and it must be addressed. The very content you profit from is in violation of your own terms of service, which assert that you do not allow hate speech.”
The letter comes after social media platforms’ earned “low and failing grades” on GLAAD’s third annual Social Media Safety Index, which evaluates the five major social media (Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube) platforms regarding LGBTQ safety, privacy and expression. Instagram had a score of 63%, Facebook scored 61%, TikkTok scored 57%, YouTube earned a 54% and Twitter had the lowest score of 33%.
The names include Alyssa Milano, Alan Cumming, ALOK, Amber Ruffin, Amy Landecker, Amy Schumer, Angelica Ross, Annaleigh Ashford, Ariana Grande, Arisce Wanzer, Avan Jogia, Barbie Ferreira, Bebe Rexha, Bella Ramsey, Ben Barnes, Benito Skinner, Bethany Cosentino, Billy Eichner, Billy Porter, Bobby Berk, Bretman Rock, Brian Michael Smith, Busy Phillips, Camila Cabello, Cara Delevingne, Chella Man, Cheyenne Jackson, Christa Miller, Chris Perfetti, Colton Haynes, Cynthia Erivo, Cynthia Nixon, Dan Levy, Diane Guerrero, D’Arcy Carden, Debra Messing, Demi Lovato, Dylan Mulvaney, Eleganca Bratton, Elliot Page, Emily Hampshire, Gabrielle Union-Wade, Gigi Gorgeous, Glennon Doyle, Griffin Dunne, Hailey Baldwin Bieber, Hannah Gadsby, Hayley Kiyoko, Hayley Williams, Ilana Glazer, Indya Moore, Isaac Mizrahi, Jameela Jamil, James Scully, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janelle Monáe, Jai Rodriguez, Jaymes Vaughan, Jazz Jennings, Jenna Lyons, Jessica Betts, Jonathan Bennett, Jonathan Van Ness, Jinkx Monsoon, JP Saxe, Judd Apatow, Justin Baldoni, Kal Penn, Karamo, Katherine LaNasa, Kendrick Sampson, Kevin Cahoon, Kristin Chenoweth, Lachlan Watson, Laith Ashley, Lauren Jauregui, Laverne Cox, Lena Dunham, Lena Waithe Lily Rabe, Lily Singh, Liv Hewson, Liza Koshy, Lola Tung, Mae Martin, Mae Whitman, Mandy Patinkin, Martha Plimpton, Matt Bernstein, Matt McGorry, Meena Harris, Michaela Jae Rodriguez, Michelle Buteau, Niecy Nash Betts, Nico Santos, Nicole Maines, Nik Dodani, Olly Alexander, Padma Lakshmi, Patrick Stewart, Patti LuPone, Peppermint, Rafael Silva, Ramy Youssef, Raquel Willis, Rosario Dawson, Sam Smith, Sara Bareilles, Sasha Velour, Scott Turner Schofield, Sia, Shawn Mendes, Shea Coulee, Shea Diamond, Sherri Saum, Taika Waititi, Tatiana Maslany, Tommy Dorfman, Wilson Cruz, Zoe Chao, Zooey Deschanel and more.
The letter’s signees who are urging social media CEOs “to take action on viral lies and disinformation about transgender healthcare and malicious anti-LGBTQ ‘groomer’ narrative. Neal Mohan is the CEO for YouTube, Mark Zuckerberg is the CEO of Facebook, Linda Yaccarino is the CEO of Twitter, Adam Mosseri is the CEO of Instagram and Shou Zi Chew is the CEO of TikTok.
In the letter, the group also requests that each platform create and share an outline for how they plan to address several highlighted issues including: “Content that spreads malicious lies and disinformation about medically necessary healthcare for transgender youth,” “accounts that perpetuate anti-LGBTQ extremist hate and disinformation,” dehumanizing, hateful attacks on prominent transgender figures and influencers” and “anti-transgender hate speech,” including targeted misgendering, deadnaming and other hate-driven tropes.”
“It’s about time that social media CEOs hear from leaders on their platforms whose content and creativity drive profits and revenue for them,” GLAAD President and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis said. “It’s clear these creators and celebrities recognize that social media companies should be taking urgent action to address the pervasiveness and severity of viral hate and misinformation about LGBTQ, trans and gender nonconforming users, but instead such anti-LGBTQ content drives profits for the companies and is too often met with inaction. You can draw a direct line from online hate and misinformation about trans people to the hundreds of anti-trans bills across the U.S. as well as the rise in violence against LGBTQ people. Until social media platforms take real action, our community continues to be at risk.”
Click here to see the full list of signees.
