Meta Platforms’ Instagram has come under scrutiny for its handling of abusive comments aimed at female politicians, according to a new report released by the non-profit Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) on Wednesday. The report highlights a significant failure in Instagram’s content moderation, particularly concerning comments directed at women who are potential candidates for the 2024 US elections.
The CCDH report analyzed over half a million comments on Instagram posts made by ten prominent female politicians, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Vice President Kamala Harris, Senator Marsha Blackburn, and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. Of these comments, the report flagged more than 20,000 as “toxic,” with around 1,000 containing sexist and racist abuse, as well as explicit threats of death and rape. Alarmingly, Instagram allowed 93% of these harmful comments to remain on the platform despite their clear violation of the platform’s standards.
In response to the findings, Meta, Instagram’s parent company, stated that the platform provides tools for users to manage and filter comments, including options to block offensive phrases and emojis. Cindy Southworth, Meta’s head of women’s safety, remarked, “We will review the CCDH report and take action on any content that violates our policies.”
The CCDH report also highlighted a troubling trend from its analysis of the 2020 US election, noting that women of color were disproportionately targeted with sexist and racist abuse. This ongoing issue underscores the broader problem of online harassment faced by women politicians and public figures.
Criticism has mounted against social media platforms for their role in amplifying online abuse. The algorithms that drive social media engagement often prioritize emotionally charged content, which can inadvertently increase the visibility and impact of abusive comments. Politicians and public figures sometimes exploit these algorithms to boost engagement, creating a challenging dynamic for managing online abuse.
The CCDH report calls for social media platforms to more effectively enforce their safety guidelines and take decisive action against targeted abuse. It emphasizes that the problem of online harassment extends beyond politics and affects millions of users globally. The findings of this report raise important questions about the responsibilities of social media platforms in safeguarding users from abuse and ensuring a respectful and safe online environment.
In other news – Investigation underway following tragic deaths of three women in Ceres
Police are currently investigating the deaths of three women whose bodies were discovered inside a home in Ceres. The women had reportedly carried coal into the residence located on Uitsig Street. Their bodies were found on Sunday, sparking an investigation into the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
According to police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk, an inquest docket has been opened, and post-mortems are planned to determine the precise cause of death. “Post-mortem(s) will be conducted to determine the cause of death. Read More
