Nonprofits Call On Social Platforms To Make Changes To Combat Online Harassment

In a new report released by free expression advocacy organization PEN America, it calls on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to implement product design changes to address online harassment.

The report provides recommendations to all technology companies, but focuses primarily on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter because these are the platforms that American journalists and writers use heavily in their work.

The report says online harassment has a dramatic impact on public discourse, disproportionately harming writers, journalists, women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ and religious and ethnic minorities.

"Online harassment is a direct and urgent threat to free speech," Viktorya Vilk, director of PEN America's Digital Safety and Free Speech Program and one of the report's authors, said in an interview.

Product design suggestions mentioned in the report include a dashboard that can filter abusive content, an "SOS" button for users who are harassed, and a document function that allows users to easily record harassment incidents.

Facebook said it will review the report's recommendations and reiterate its commitment to making users feel safe on Facebook and Instagram.

The company pointed to current policies and features that users can use to address unwanted connections on Facebook and Instagram, such as blocking or restricting accounts, adjusting messaging settings, controlling comments, and limiting tags or mentions. Instagram also announced new measures in February to combat harassment via direct messages.

A Twitter spokesman said journalists are an important part of the platform and the company is working to ensure users are protected from online harassment. Twitter highlighted features that users can use to address online harassment, such as muting, blocking, and limiting replies to conversations.

"We will enable a dedicated safety mode to allow users on Twitter to proactively filter spam and abusive content," a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement.

A January study from the Pew Research Center found that 79% of Americans surveyed said social media companies did a fair to poor job of addressing online harassment on their platforms. Judging from user feedback, major platforms still have a long way to go…