Tech companies are under pressure to combat online misogyny more effectively by addressing trolling and toxic behavior towards women and girls. Liz Kendall, the Technology Secretary, commended the new guidance from the media regulator and cautioned social media platforms about their role in perpetuating environments where sexism thrives if they do not take action.
Ofcom’s fresh guidance calls on online platforms to implement “prompts” that prompt users to reconsider before posting misogynistic or sexually violent content. It also recommends implementing “timeouts” for users who repeatedly try to abuse platforms to target individuals. Additionally, social media firms are encouraged to demonetize content promoting misogynistic abuse and enhance diverse content in recommendation feeds to counter “toxic echo” chambers. Platforms are also advised to consider setting volume limits on posts to deter mass-posting of abusive content.
Another suggestion is for companies to utilize automated technology like “hash-matching” to identify and delete non-consensual intimate images. Despite the guidance not being enforceable, Internet Matters, an online safety organization, urges the Government to mandate its implementation.
Kendall emphasized that tech companies have the tools to combat online misogyny by blocking and removing such content. Failure to act, she warned, makes these companies complicit in normalizing abuse against women and girls. She urged platforms to take responsibility and utilize all available means to safeguard women and girls online.
Rachel Huggins, co-chief executive at Internet Matters, highlighted that while Ofcom’s guidance includes robust measures to enhance online safety, they remain recommendations. She called for the guidance to be made a statutory Code of Practice to ensure tech platforms implement the outlined measures rather than treating them as optional.
Ofcom noted that women in various public domains, such as sports and politics, face significant and widespread online abuse daily. The regulator will assess individual companies’ progress in the summer of 2027 and may recommend strengthening the Online Safety Act if necessary.
Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom’s Chief Executive, emphasized the importance of tech firms taking action to protect female users against the prevalent online risks they encounter.