Meta is failing to enforce its own rules against anti-trans hate speech on its platform, a of GLAAD warns. The LGBTQ advocacy group found that “extreme anti-trans hate content remains widespread on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads.”
The report documents dozens of examples of hate speech from Meta apps, which GLAAD says were reported to the company between June 2023 and March 2024. But while the posts appeared to be clear violations of the company's policies, “Meta responded that the posts were not infringing or simply took no action on them,” says GLAAD.
The reported content included posts with anti-trans slurs, violent and dehumanizing language, and promotions for conversion therapy, all of which are prohibited under Meta's rules. GLAAD also notes that some of the posts it reported came from influential accounts with large audiences on Facebook and Instagram. GLAAD also shared two examples of posts from Threads, Meta's newest app where the company has attempted to post “political” and other “topical” content.
“The company's continued failure to enforce its own policies against anti-LGBTQ hate, and especially trans hate, is simply unacceptable,” GLAAD CEO and President Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. .
Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But GLAAD's report is not the first time the company has faced criticism for its handling of content aimed at the LGBTQ community. Last year the Supervisory Board Goal to “improve the accuracy of your enforcement of hate speech toward the LGBTQIA+ community.”
