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Post’s inclusive policies and Discord’s protective measures contrast sharply with X’s backslide and Meta’s moderation struggles, highlighting the evolving battle for LGBTQ+ safety in social media.
In an effort to make more users feel welcomed and safe using the app, the social media company Post has updated its policies to bolster protections for members of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender users. Post’s content rules now explicitly outline protections for LGBTQ+ people on the platform.
The move has drawn praise from the LGBTQ+ media advocacy organization GLAAD.
Post's policy contrasts the approaches taken by X, formerly Twitter, under Elon Musk, and Meta’s Instagram, which has faced criticism for its content moderation policies.
“Specifically with respect to the LGBTQ+ community, denial of an individual’s gender identity or sexual orientation or promoting conversion therapy or related programs that attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity are not allowed and will be considered a violation of the Content Rules,” the policy states.
CEO and founder of Post Noam Bardin highlighted the importance of these changes.
“Part of our mission of ‘Civil Conversations’ is to allow anyone to feel safe enough to state their ideas without being attacked for who they are. The LGBTQ+ community is more likely to be attacked, so we are always evaluating what is needed to create a safe environment,” Bardin said in response to questions sent by The Advocate. He added that users can flag content that breaches these rules, which Post’s team will review and act upon as necessary.
This inclusive approach by Post sharply contrasts with the regressive direction of X under Musk’s leadership. Musk’s controversial policies and statements have significantly undermined the safety and inclusivity of transgender individuals on the platform. In October, Musk proclaimed that the term “cisgender,” which denotes that somebody’s gender assigned at birth aligns with their gender identity, unlike transgender, would be considered a “heterosexual slur” on the app. Being cisgender has nothing to do with one’s sexual orientation.
Also under scrutiny in the digital environment for LGBTQ+ safety is Meta’s apparent failure to moderate harmful content on Instagram. A report by Media Matters for America, previously reported by The Advocate, criticized Instagram for its ineffectiveness in moderating content from the anti-trans hate group Gays Against Groomers.
Similar to Post, the popular gaming social media platform Discord has also spoken out in support of its trans and nonbinary users.
In December, Discord expanded its Hateful Conduct Policy to explicitly include prohibitions against misgendering and deadnaming, demonstrating a commitment to the safety of all users, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community. This move by Discord was part of a regular review to improve transparency, according to a company spokesperson, and was also welcomed by GLAAD.
As the social media landscape grapples with the challenge of balancing free speech and the protection of vulnerable communities, particularly the LGBTQ+ community, the recent policy updates by platforms like Post and Discord are drawing attention.
Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, told The Advocate that she’s happy about the developments with Discord and Post.
“This is very welcome progress for LGBTQ social media safety,” Ellis said in a statement. “We know that maliciously and intentionally misgendering and deadnaming trans people is one of the most prevalent modes that bad actors and extremists use for expressing anti-trans hate — especially harassing prominent trans figures (this is not about accidentally getting someone’s pronouns wrong).”
She continued, “When social media platforms care about the safety of their users, it makes sense to have policies to protect them. Adopting these express prohibitions demonstrates that commitment, and as GLAAD has recommended for many years in our annual Social Media Safety Index, this is clearly a best practice that should be adopted by all platforms.”
The 2023 GLAAD Social Media Safety Index report emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced protection of LGBTQ+ users on social media platforms. Despite existing policies against hate speech and harassment, the report reveals a worrying trend of increased anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, particularly targeting transgender individuals, often leading to real-world violence and discrimination. The inconsistency in enforcing these policies across major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X shows a gap in the safety measures, exacerbating the risks faced by the LGBTQ+ community.
“We look forward to other companies standing up for their values, and against anti-trans hate,” Ellis noted, adding, ”It is also far past time for Meta to update their policy, which includes a public figure loophole that leaves prominent trans people unprotected.”
