Social media abuse drives girls off Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: poll
4 years, 2 months ago

Social media abuse drives girls off Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: poll

The Hindu  

Online abuse is driving girls to quit social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, with nearly 60% experiencing harassment, a global study showed on Sunday. One in five girls and young women has abandoned or cut down on using a social media platform after being targeted, with some saying harassment started when they were as young as eight, the survey by girls' rights group Plan International showed. The charity, which will share the report with social media companies and lawmakers around the world, said the abuse was suppressing girls' voices at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was increasing the importance of communicating online. In an open letter to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter, girls from around the world called on social media companies to create more effective ways to report abuse.

Social Abuse Girls Online Twitter Media Companies Social Media Companies Facebook Instagram  abuse  world  twitter  young  media  companies  drives  poll  girls  online  social  facebook  instagram

History of this topic

California to consider requiring mental health warnings on social media sites
2 weeks, 1 day ago

California to consider requiring mental health warnings on social media sites

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California, home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require mental health warning labels on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. “The promise of social media, although real, has turned into a situation where they’re turning our children’s attention into a commodity,” Assemblymember …

JUST SPAMMING | Can social media be kept out of the child's reach?
3 weeks, 3 days ago

JUST SPAMMING | Can social media be kept out of the child's reach?

Deccan Chronicle  

The latest news from down under is rather baffling. The Online Safety Amendment Act 2024 passed by the Australian Senate last week seeks to ban children below the age of 16 from using social media apps like TikTok, Facebook, Reddit, Snapchat, Instagram and X. Because in the Indian context, 70 per cent of the children access social media from their …

Social media ban for children ‘brilliant idea’ for tackling abuse – charity boss
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Social media ban for children ‘brilliant idea’ for tackling abuse – charity boss

The Independent  

Sign up for the Independent Women email for the latest news, opinion and features Get the Independent Women email for free Get the Independent Women email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A social media ban for young children is “a brilliant idea” for …

Australia lawmakers pass landmark social-media ban for under-16s
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Australia lawmakers pass landmark social-media ban for under-16s

Live Mint  

Australia is set to become the first country to ban social media use by under-16s after the country’s Senate overwhelmingly voted in favor of strict new legislation. “Social media is doing harm to our children and I’m calling time on it," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said when the bill was introduced to Parliament earlier this month. The legislation marks …

Growing social media app vows to shake up ‘toxic’ status quo
1 month ago

Growing social media app vows to shake up ‘toxic’ status quo

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. They've cleverly addicted us to our own egos Zoe Kalar, WeAre8 founder Zoe Kalar, the app’s founder, …

Is a “digital duty of care” enough to protect young people from social media’s harms?
1 month ago

Is a “digital duty of care” enough to protect young people from social media’s harms?

ABC  

Since the start of November, the Australian government has made two significant announcements aimed at addressing the harms that social media platforms are causing to the mental health of adolescents: that it will legislate a minimum age of 16 for access to social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X; that it will legislate a minimum age of 16 …

Australia’s plan to ban children from social media proves popular and problematic
1 month, 1 week ago

Australia’s plan to ban children from social media proves popular and problematic

Associated Press  

MELBOURNE, Australia — How do you protect children from the harms of social media? The Australian government’s plan to ban children from social media platforms including X, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram until their 16th birthdays is politically popular. More than 140 such experts signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemning the 16-year age limit as “too blunt …

Mother of schoolgirl caught up in an AI fake porn incident says she is against social media ban
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Mother of schoolgirl caught up in an AI fake porn incident says she is against social media ban

ABC  

The mother of a teenage girl whose fake nude images were circulated online says banning children aged under sixteen from social media won't fix the core problem. "Even as a parent of a child that went through that, social media isn't the problem — educating men and boys is the problem," Emily said. Bacchus Marsh Grammar principal Andrew Neal says …

Snapchat most used social media platform for grooming, figures show as offences hit record high
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Snapchat most used social media platform for grooming, figures show as offences hit record high

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Federal government's looming social media ban may be bad for isolated, marginalised teenagers
2 months ago

Federal government's looming social media ban may be bad for isolated, marginalised teenagers

ABC  

Australia will be the first in the world to ban social media for kids if the federal government goes ahead with its proposal to tighten restrictions by the end of the year. Support for young people and families The Butterfly Foundation: National helpline 1800 ED HOPE, 8am-midnight, 7 days a week ReachOut Australia: Confidential online peer support for young people …

FOMO keeps girls on social media despite experiencing online bullying
2 months, 2 weeks ago

FOMO keeps girls on social media despite experiencing online bullying

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The study, by Girlguiding, found almost six in ten girls …

Cyberbullying driving teen girls towards eating disorders and cosmetic procedures, study finds
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Cyberbullying driving teen girls towards eating disorders and cosmetic procedures, study finds

ABC  

A University of the Sunshine Coast study has revealed the alarming effects of cyberbullying on teenage girls, many of whom feel pressured to diet and undergo cosmetic procedures. If you or someone you know needs help: Butterfly National Helpline — 1800 33 4673 Eating Disorders Families Australia — 1300 195 626 Eating Disorders Victoria — 1300 550 236 Eating Disorders …

Social Media Groups Share Explicit Images of Women
3 months ago

Social Media Groups Share Explicit Images of Women

Deccan Chronicle  

Hyderabad:Under the veil of anonymity, a disturbing trend is growing on social media platforms like Instagram, Reddit and Discord, where individuals are running group chats and pages dedicated to sharing explicit images and recordings of women and girls taken without their consent. These groups are often hidden behind private settings, making it challenging for social media moderation tools to take …

Children and young teenagers could be banned from using social media, minister says
3 months, 1 week ago

Children and young teenagers could be banned from using social media, minister says

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Children in the …

YouTube, TikTok and Meta are all in the firing line for children to be banned from their platforms. Here's what we know
3 months, 2 weeks ago

YouTube, TikTok and Meta are all in the firing line for children to be banned from their platforms. Here's what we know

ABC  

Children are growing up with access to endless streams of content — posts from friends and family, mindless but harmless entertainment, as well as posts from extremist influencers, pornography, violent videos, and other material with the potential to cause great harm. Anthony Albanese vows to introduce legislation to ban children from accessing social media by the end of this year …

If you’re a parent, Lauren Greenfield’s new doc about teens and social media ‘is a horror movie’
3 months, 3 weeks ago

If you’re a parent, Lauren Greenfield’s new doc about teens and social media ‘is a horror movie’

LA Times  

Documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield had spent her day with a group of high school students when a startling revelation came up that compelled her to go home and ask her two sons, then about 14 and 20, a question: “Is BDSM really a trend?” “Oh, yeah, choking is what we’re told girls want,” she recalled one of her sons saying …

Canada man sues social media giants YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, for being too addictive, causing negative body image
4 months, 1 week ago

Canada man sues social media giants YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, for being too addictive, causing negative body image

Hindustan Times  

A 24 year old man from Montreal, Canada, is launching a class-action lawsuit against social media companies like TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook for being “too addictive.” Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram apps are seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken, July 13, 2021. The man started using social media in 2015, due to which, he claimed …

Meta takes down thousands of Facebook, Instagram accounts running sextortion scams from Nigeria
5 months ago

Meta takes down thousands of Facebook, Instagram accounts running sextortion scams from Nigeria

Associated Press  

Meta said Wednesday that it has taken down about 63,000 Instagram accounts in Nigeria running sexual extortion scams and has removed thousands of Facebook groups and pages that were trying to organize, recruit and train new scammers. There has been a marked rise in sextortion cases in recent years, fueled in part by a loosely organized group called the Yahoo …

Instagram 'is profiting from AI-generated child abuse images': Charity lawyers target social media giant Meta for 'not tackling' a 'new frontier of horror' that sees paedophiles advertise websites sel
5 months ago

Instagram 'is profiting from AI-generated child abuse images': Charity lawyers target social media giant Meta for 'not tackling' a 'new frontier of horror' that sees paedophiles advertise websites sel

Daily Mail  

Instagram is facing a legal challenge over claims it profits by allowing users to advertise AI-generated child sex abuse images. In what campaigners say is a 'new frontier of horror', paedophiles are using artificial intelligence software to generate thousands of sexualised images of children, which they brazenly market on Instagram, telling users to click on their sites to buy even …

People worried over online abuse, call for strong action
5 months, 1 week ago

People worried over online abuse, call for strong action

Deccan Chronicle  

HYDERABAD: After the recent incident of insensitive comments passed by YouTuber P. Hanumanthu, many raised concerns over the normalisation of people’s vulgar and vile commentary on social media. The comments range from body shaming and sexist remarks to outright threats, creating a toxic environment on social media. Dr Priya Sharma, a psychologist, explained the impact of such online behaviour: "The …

US activists worry about ‘losing major asset’ TikTok as potential ban looms
6 months, 3 weeks ago

US activists worry about ‘losing major asset’ TikTok as potential ban looms

Al Jazeera  

Recent decisions by US gov’t and platforms have made organising on TikTok and Instagram much harder for activists. For the last two years, he’s used TikTok and Instagram as a means to spread the word about climate marches and real-life ways people can get involved and fight to take on climate change. Limits on Meta and X The US government’s …

The EU says Instagram and Facebook may be too addictive for children in fresh investigation, here's what we know
7 months, 1 week ago

The EU says Instagram and Facebook may be too addictive for children in fresh investigation, here's what we know

ABC  

The European Union is warning Facebook and Instagram may be too addictive as it launches an investigation into whether the platforms have breached the Digital Services Act in areas linked to the protection of minors. The European Union opened fresh investigations into Facebook and Instagram over suspicions that they're failing to protect children online, in violation of the bloc's strict …

Empowerment vs exploitation: Balancing benefits and risks of social media for women's mental health in digital age
9 months ago

Empowerment vs exploitation: Balancing benefits and risks of social media for women's mental health in digital age

Hindustan Times  

In today’s time, the rise of social media platforms has brought about unprecedented connectivity and communication and India, being the most populous country with the second-largest number of global Internet users, boasts a highly attractive and competitive Internet market. Empowerment vs exploitation: Balancing benefits and risks of social media for women's mental health in digital age It is almost a …

Twitter worst social media platform for online threats against women, report finds
9 months ago

Twitter worst social media platform for online threats against women, report finds

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, Alex Davies-Jones MP, …

Opinion: Social media can be toxic for women. Here’s how to change that
9 months, 2 weeks ago

Opinion: Social media can be toxic for women. Here’s how to change that

LA Times  

On social media, most of us don’t think too hard about what we’re doing as we “like,” scroll and swipe across our screens. Now when a picture of a woman is posted online — whether she’s in the public eye or not — social networks provide a forum for people to weigh in with comments about her appearance and, let’s …

New York City files a lawsuit saying social media is fueling a youth mental health crisis
10 months, 1 week ago

New York City files a lawsuit saying social media is fueling a youth mental health crisis

Associated Press  

New York City, its schools and public hospital system announced a lawsuit Wednesday against the tech giants that run Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube, blaming their “addictive and dangerous” social media platforms for fueling a childhood mental health crisis that is disrupting learning and draining resources. “Over the past decade, we have seen just how addictive and overwhelming the …

Six in 10 think social media has had negative effect on British children
10 months, 1 week ago

Six in 10 think social media has had negative effect on British children

The Telegraph  

Six in 10 people think social media has had a negative impact on British children, a poll has found in the wake of the murder of Brianna Ghey. The survey published by Project Liberty found that adults in the UK are among the most worried about the impact of social media on children. It found that only adults in France …

Gay, teenaged and online: LGBTQ+ Indians fight for safe space
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Gay, teenaged and online: LGBTQ+ Indians fight for safe space

The Hindu  

The suicide of a 16-year-old Indian boy who hit a wall of online abuse after posting selfies in saris and makeup has galavanised calls for social media giants to better protect LGBTQ+ Indians. "In India, the online abuse faced by LGBTQ+ creators, predominantly on Instagram, is pervasive and includes death threats, hate speech, rape threats, bullying and other forms of …

Under-16s could face limits on social media
1 year ago

Under-16s could face limits on social media

The Telegraph  

Under-16s could be forced to ask their parents for permission before using social media under proposals being considered by Rishi Sunak. Ministers are devising plans for a consultation on the potential harms to children from social networks such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok in the new year, which could lead to teenagers being forced to obtain their parents’ permission to …

One in five players at Women’s World Cup were sent online abuse, Fifa report finds
1 year ago

One in five players at Women’s World Cup were sent online abuse, Fifa report finds

The Independent  

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. New data published by Fifa found 152 players out of 697 whose …

Online abuse of politically active Afghan women tripled after Taliban takeover, rights group reports
1 year, 1 month ago

Online abuse of politically active Afghan women tripled after Taliban takeover, rights group reports

Associated Press  

ISLAMABAD — Online abuse and hate speech targeting politically active women in Afghanistan has significantly increased since the Taliban took over the country in Aug. 2021, according to a report released Monday by a U.K.-based rights group. Building on expertise gained from similar research in Myanmar, the Afghan Witness team analyzed publicly available information from X, formerly known as Twitter, …

States sue Meta for harming young people's mental health, collecting data on children
1 year, 2 months ago

States sue Meta for harming young people's mental health, collecting data on children

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Nuh Violence Fueled by Social Media, Centre Begins Crackdown on Accounts Spreading Propaganda
1 year, 4 months ago

Nuh Violence Fueled by Social Media, Centre Begins Crackdown on Accounts Spreading Propaganda

News 18  

In a major crackdown, central agencies and ministries have narrowed down on close to 100 social media handles that are highly active and involved in spreading propaganda related to the Nuh violence through their accounts. According to the sources, a detailed analysis by a central intelligence agency has found that these accounts are provocatory, spreading propaganda, and instigating public sentiments. …

Facebook took action on only 27% of grievances, less than half of complaints on Instagram in May: Report
1 year, 5 months ago

Facebook took action on only 27% of grievances, less than half of complaints on Instagram in May: Report

India TV News  

Social media giant Meta's Facebook took action against only around 27 per cent of complaints it received from users and Instagram against less than half of total grievances raised by users in May 2023, according to the company's latest India Monthly Report. As per the category-wise information disclosed by Meta, Facebook "actioned on" less than one-tenth grievances of users where …

Twitter takes action: Bans over 1.1 million Indian accounts for violating guidelines
1 year, 5 months ago

Twitter takes action: Bans over 1.1 million Indian accounts for violating guidelines

India TV News  

In a recent monthly compliance report, Twitter revealed that it had banned a record-breaking 1,132,228 accounts in India between April 26 and May 25. As part of the rules, major digital and social media platforms with over five million users are required to publish monthly compliance reports. In this reporting period, Twitter received a total of 518 complaints from Indian …

'BEWARE of Twitter': Report tags platform as the worst major social media platform for LGBTQ+ community
1 year, 6 months ago

'BEWARE of Twitter': Report tags platform as the worst major social media platform for LGBTQ+ community

India TV News  

All major social media platforms do poorly at protecting LGBTQ+ users from hate speech and harassment — especially those who are transgender, non-binary or gender non-conforming, the advocacy group GLAAD said Thursday. In its annual Social Media Safety Index, GLAAD gave Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Twitter low or failing scores, saying the platforms don’t do enough to keep their …

Twitter is the worst major social media platform when it comes to LGBTQ+ safety, says GLAAD
1 year, 6 months ago

Twitter is the worst major social media platform when it comes to LGBTQ+ safety, says GLAAD

The Hindu  

All major social media platforms do poorly at protecting LGBTQ+ users from hate speech and harassment — especially those who are transgender, non-binary or gender non-conforming, the advocacy group GLAAD said Thursday. “There isn’t a week that goes by that we don’t have a doxxing situation for somebody in our community that we have to come in and help them …

Twitter is the worst major social media platform when it comes to LGBTQ+ safety, says GLAAD
1 year, 6 months ago

Twitter is the worst major social media platform when it comes to LGBTQ+ safety, says GLAAD

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — All major social media platforms do poorly at protecting LGBTQ+ users from hate speech and harassment — especially those who are transgender, non-binary or gender non-conforming, the advocacy group GLAAD said Thursday. It’s like backyard dogfights.” Ellis lamented that before the takeover, Twitter was a “leader” among major social media platforms when it comes to protecting LGBTQ+ …

Major psychologists' group warns of social media's potential harm to kids
1 year, 7 months ago

Major psychologists' group warns of social media's potential harm to kids

NPR  

Major psychologists' group warns of social media's potential harm to kids Enlarge this image toggle caption martin-dm/Getty Images martin-dm/Getty Images For the first time, the American Psychological Association has issued recommendations for guiding teenager's use of social media. The report, he says, marshals the latest science about social media to arm people "with the information that they need to be …

Twitter Warned By EU Over Disinformation, Favouring Russia Agenda
1 year, 7 months ago

Twitter Warned By EU Over Disinformation, Favouring Russia Agenda

ABP News  

According to a recent tweet by Vera Jourova, Vice-President for Values and Transparency at the EU, the EU has issued a warning to Elon Musk's Twitter over the spread of disinformation and promotion of the Kremlin agenda. Jourova expressed her concern that Twitter's policies have made the digital information space unsafe and susceptible to malicious influence from authoritarian governments. Jourova …

Women and girls ‘traumatised’ by social media, warns Georgia Harrison
1 year, 8 months ago

Women and girls ‘traumatised’ by social media, warns Georgia Harrison

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Reality TV personality Georgia Harrison has said women and girls are …

Why are teen girls in crisis? It’s not just social media
1 year, 8 months ago

Why are teen girls in crisis? It’s not just social media

Associated Press  

Study after study says American youth are in crisis, facing unprecedented mental health challenges that are burdening teen girls in particular. “A lot of people view women’s bodies and girls’ bodies as sexual,” Emma said. I don’t know what it feels like to not have that fear.” Makena, a high school senior in Mississippi, said she and her friends sometimes …

Anti-LGBTQ hate thrives online, spurs fears of more violence
2 years ago

Anti-LGBTQ hate thrives online, spurs fears of more violence

Associated Press  

In the days after a gunman killed five people at a gay nightclub in Colorado last month, much of social media lit up with the now familiar expressions of grief, mourning and disbelief. On Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, researchers and LGBTQ advocates have tracked an increase in hate speech and threats of violence directed at LGBTQ people, groups and events, …

Anti-LGBTQ hate thrives online, spurs fears of more violence
2 years ago

Anti-LGBTQ hate thrives online, spurs fears of more violence

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. On Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, researchers and LGBTQ advocates …

Facebook knew Instagram was pushing girls to dangerous content: internal document
2 years ago

Facebook knew Instagram was pushing girls to dangerous content: internal document

CBS News  

Families suing social media companies Suing Social Media: Families say social media algorithms put their kids in danger | 60 Minutes 13:29 A previously unpublished internal document reveals Facebook, now known as Meta, knew Instagram was pushing girls to dangerous content. Attorney Matt Bergman started the Social Media Victims Law Center after reading the so-called "Facebook Papers," disclosed by whistleblower …

Are the Kids Alright? 40% Indian Parents Admit Their Children Are Video, Gaming, Social Media Addicts
2 years ago

Are the Kids Alright? 40% Indian Parents Admit Their Children Are Video, Gaming, Social Media Addicts

News 18  

Is your child glued to their smartphone all day long? In response to this question, 62% urban Indian parents said children in this age group were spending three or more hours each day on social media, videos and games on the internet. In response to this, 49% urban Indian parents said children in this age group are spending three hours …

Facebook, Instagram most common platforms for bullying young people in Assam, poll finds
2 years, 1 month ago

Facebook, Instagram most common platforms for bullying young people in Assam, poll finds

The Hindu  

Facebook and Instagram are the most common platforms for bullying young people, a poll conducted by some 9,500 National Service Scheme volunteers from 24 universities and educational institutions in Assam has revealed. The poll facilitated by the UNICEF to support the Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights also recorded that 95% of the youth in the State face …

Twitter put ads next to tweets sharing images of child sexual abuse
2 years, 2 months ago

Twitter put ads next to tweets sharing images of child sexual abuse

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Either Twitter is going to fix this, or we’ll fix it by any means we can, which …

Brands blast Twitter for ads next to child abuse accounts
2 years, 2 months ago

Brands blast Twitter for ads next to child abuse accounts

The Hindu  

Some major advertisers including Dyson, Mazda, Forbes and PBS Kids have suspended their marketing campaigns or removed their ads from parts of Twitter because their promotions appeared alongside tweets soliciting child pornography, the companies told Reuters. Brands ranging from Walt Disney Co., NBCUniversal and Coca-Cola Co. to a children's hospital were among more than 30 advertisers that appeared on the …

Twitter’s latest problem: Ads of major brands next to child porn
2 years, 2 months ago

Twitter’s latest problem: Ads of major brands next to child porn

Al Jazeera  

Some major advertisers including Dyson, Mazda and chemicals company Ecolab have suspended their marketing campaigns or removed their ads from parts of Twitter because their promotions are appearing alongside tweets soliciting child pornography, the companies told Reuters. Ads for at least 30 brands, ranging from Walt Disney Co, Comcast Corp’s NBCUniversal and Coca-Cola Co to a children’s hospital, have appeared …

Discover Related