GLAAD CEO argues for 'government intervention' in LGBTQ+ hate speech crackdowns
GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis joined 'CBS Mornings' on Thursday to discuss online hate speech against members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) published a letter this week signed by over 250 celebrities and community leaders urging Big Tech companies to "address" "hate" directed at LGBTQ people online.
GLAAD’s public letter, which was posted on its Instagram account Tuesday, addressed Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter, and ordered them to "take actions against the rise of anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ hate and discrimination."
The letter also accused these major internet platforms of allowing "high-follower anti-LGBTQ hate accounts" to thrive online. Famous entertainers including actor Elliot Page, singer Ariana Grande, actress Jameela Jamil and others added their signatures to the open letter.
Jameela Jamil is one of "250+" celebrities that signed a letter written by pro-LGBTQ organization GLAAD demanding Big Tech platforms to curb anti-LGBTQ speech. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for GLAAD)
GLAAD, a non-profit organization promoting LGBTQ representation in the media, partnered with the Human Rights Campaign to write the letter, which asked each of the tech platforms to combat four fronts of anti-LGBTQ discrimination online.
The letter listed these as "Content that spreads malicious lies about medically necessary healthcare for trans youth;" "Accounts and content that perpetuate anti-LGBTQ extremist hate and disinformation in violation of platform policies;" "Dehumanizing, hateful attacks on prominent transgender public figures and influencers," and "Anti-trans hate speech, including targeted misgendering, deadnaming, and hate-driven tropes."
The post’s caption claimed that platforms allowing this type of hate are dangerous for the LGBTQ community.
"Directing hate toward queer and trans public figures online is a vehicle to promote hate and violence against all LGBTQ people," it stated. "This translates to real-world harm."
GLAAD’s post elaborated, saying, "This is leading to real-life harm, like death threats against healthcare providers and violence against trans and LGBTQ people."
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Pro-LGBTQ media organization GLAAD urged social media platforms to crackdown on anti-LGBTQ hate speech in an open letter. (Photo by Luiz C. Ribeiro for NY Daily News via Getty Images)
It also accused the five major platforms of not enforcing their own policies. The post noted that, "All 5 platforms have policies against hate speech and harassment," however, added, "That doesn’t mean they’re adequately enforced to protect people."
"On Facebook and Instagram, for example, there’s a policy loophole that allows anti-LGBTQ accounts to bully and harass LGBTQ public figures," it continued.
The rest of the letter contained the signatures of the hundreds of celebrity LGBTQ allies supporting GLAAD’s demands. Among them were signatures from model Haley Bieber, singer Camila Cabello, actress Zooey Deschanel, and "Star Trek" legend Patrick Stewart.
In the past, GLAAD has advocated for social media companies and even the government to crackdown on anti-LGBTQ social media posts.
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During an episode of "CBS Mornings" last July, GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis replied to a question on what types of social media crackdowns should be implemented, saying, "We do need government intervention here, and we need the right policies."
About LGTBQ harassment on online platforms, she added, "This has been going on for over a decade and Congress has been really ineffective to say the best."
Fox News Digital reached out to GLAAD for comment on whether their letter could be seen as urging social media platforms to crack down on free speech. The organization has yet to respond.
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