Ofcom has launched a new initiative calling on big tech firms to deliver safer online experiences for women and girls in the UK, which goes above and beyond what is needed to comply with their legal duties under the Online Safety Act.
The regulator insists women and girls face distinct and serious risks online, including misogynistic abuse, sexual violence, coordinated pile-ons, stalking, coercive control, and intimate image abuse.
Now it is releasing new guidance, developed with insights from victims, survivors, safety experts, women’s advocacy groups and organisations working with men and boys.
Its launch is also supported by Sport England as part of its wider This Girl Can campaign, and WSL Football to raise awareness of women’s safety when taking part in sport and exercise.
Ofcom’s research delves into a world of commonplace abuse and harassment online, ranging from cyberbullying to intimate image abuse.
Almost all (98%) of intimate images reported to the Revenge Porn Helpline were of women, with 99% of deepfake intimate image abuse depicting women. Some 94% of those featured in deepfake pornography were women in the entertainment industry.
About three-quarters (73%) of Gen Z social media users have witnessed misogynistic content online, with 20% of teenagers in just the last four weeks viewing online content that objectifies or demeans women.
Nearly 70% of boys aged 11-14 have been exposed to online content that promotes misogyny and other harmful views.
Some of Ofcom’s guidelines promote introducing prompts to time limits to discourage or reprimand users from sharing harmful content online. It also wants tech giants to alter their algorithms to promote diverse content and perspectives to avoid toxic echo chambers.
It also calls for posts that promote misogynistic abuse and sexual violence to be de-monetised, though it remains unclear what will designate these posts as abusive.
To prevent coordinated harassment, the guidelines encourage setting volume limits on posts, allowing users to block or mute multiple accounts, and the introduction of more sophisticated tools to enable better reporting.
For cyber-stalking, which is a criminal offence, Ofcom recommends bundling safety features to make it easier to remain private online, introducing better visibility restriction, and removing geolocation by default across apps.
Criminal offences involving non-consensual sharing of intimate images can be better prevented by using automated tech to detect and remove these images, blurring nudity, and signposting users to supportive information, Ofcom says.
Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes said: “When I listen to women and girls who’ve experienced online abuse, their stories are deeply shocking.
“Survivors describe how a single image shared without their consent shattered their sense of self and safety. Journalists, politicians and athletes face relentless trolling while simply doing their jobs.
“No woman should have to think twice before expressing herself online, or worry about an abuser tracking her location.
“That’s why today we are sending a clear message to tech firms to step up and act in line with our practical industry guidance, to protect their female users against the very real online risks they face today.
“With the continued support of campaigners, advocacy groups and expert partners, we will hold companies to account and set a new standard for women’s and girls’ online safety in the UK.”
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