Dear Social Media

The dear-social-media initiative delivers a compelling message to the executive teams of major social media platforms, including Meta, X/Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, and Discord, advocating for essential improvements in reporting and moderation systems.

As concerned users, the project emphasizes the urgent need for these platforms to address ongoing issues of harassment, threats, and hate speech that disproportionately affect vulnerable groups such as women, children, LGBTQ+ individuals, and marginalized communities. Statistics reveal the serious implications of cyberbullying, with research showing that one in three young people across 30 countries reported being victims, leading to increased risks of anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal.

Despite the grave consequences of online abuse, social media platforms are failing to provide effective solutions. A Pew Research study highlights that 79% of Americans feel that these companies are doing only a fair or poor job in combatting harassment. Concerns regarding ineffective reporting tools and inadequate responses reinforce the urgent call for accountability.

The project outlines several critical reforms needed to enhance user safety:

• Investment in Human-Moderated Content Review: Promptly investigate every report of abusive behavior by trained human moderators to ensure no report goes unnoticed.
• User-Friendly Reporting Tools: Simplify the reporting process with clear guidelines and categories to help victims easily navigate their complaints.
• Prioritization of High-Risk Reports: Fast-track reports that involve threats of violence or exploitation to ensure immediate action is taken.
• Revised Terms of Service: Clearly define and enforce policies against harassment, bullying, and hate speech to prevent users from exploiting vague or outdated rules.
• Regular System Audits: Conduct thorough audits to evaluate how effectively reports are managed and to continuously improve moderation practices.

This initiative acknowledges that while technology plays a vital role in moderation, the key issue remains the failure to act on reports. By treating these issues as a human rights crisis rather than mere technical flaws, social media platforms can restore user trust and provide a safer online environment.

To support this mission, individuals are invited to add their names to the open letter by opening a pull request.

The dear-social-media project serves as a pivotal reminder that effective change is possible and necessary in the realm of online communication.