Online safety watchdog, Ofcom, has launched new industry guidance demanding tech firms deliver a safer online experience for women and girls in the UK.
A new five-point plan will help drive change and ensure tech firms are held accountable. This includes ensuring compliance with their legal duties under the Online Safety Act, strengthening industry Codes, meeting with firms for close supervision, publicly reporting on progress, and highlighting lived experience.
Firms will also consider introducing prompts asking users to reconsider before posting harmful content, imposing timeouts for those who repeatedly attempt to abuse or target victims, and demonetising posts which promote misogynistic abuse and sexual violence.
The guidance was developed with insights from victims, survivors, safety experts, women’s advocacy groups and organisations working with men and boys.
Research found female footballers were 29 per cent more likely to be targeted by online abuse than their male counterparts during recent World Cups.
Nearly 70 per cent of boys aged 11-14 have been exposed to online content that promotes misogyny and other harmful views, and 73 per cent of Gen Z social media users have witnessed misogynistic content online.
The Revenge Porn Helpline found 98 per cent of intimate images reported were of women, and 99 per cent of deep fake intimate image abuse depicted women.
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Sport England and WSL Football have welcomed the guidance, calling for better protection for sportswomen on social media.
Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom’s chief executive, said: “When I listen to women and girls who’ve experienced online abuse, their stories are deeply shocking. Survivors describe how a single image shared without their consent shattered their sense of self and safety. Journalists, politicians and athletes face relentless trolling while simply doing their jobs.
“No woman should have to think twice before expressing herself online, or worry about an abuser tracking her location.
“That’s why today we are sending a clear message to tech firms to step up and act in line with our practical industry guidance, to protect their female users against the very real online risks they face today.
“With the continued support of campaigners, advocacy groups and expert partners, we will hold companies to account and set a new standard for women’s and girls’ online safety in the UK.”
Chris Boardman, chair of Sport England, added: “Toxic online abuse has terrible offline impacts. As women’s sport grows, so does the abuse of its stars, and that affects women from every walk of life.
“This Girl Can research shows us that for many women and girls, fear of judgment is a huge deterrent to them exercising – and the horrifying abuse of our athletes makes this worse.
“The hard-won gains in women’s sport must not be destroyed by misogyny, so we’re supporting Ofcom in order to protect women & girls’ participation.”
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