New Report: To Reduce Online Abuse, Social Media Platforms Must Overhaul Flawed System for Users to Report Harassment and Threats
Viktorya Vilk, director for digital safety and free expression at PEN America and the report co-author, said: “The mechanisms for reporting abuse are deeply flawed and further traumatize and… More
Shouting into the Void: Why Reporting Abuse to Social Media Platforms Is So Hard and How to Fix It
The technology companies that run social media platforms, where so much of online abuse plays out, are failing to protect and support their users. More
PEN America: Meta Decision Lifting Trump Suspension To Hinge on How New Guardrails are Implemented and Enforced
“Meta’s decision to end its suspension of former President Trump from its platforms appears to be based on a reasoned weighing of current threats and the value of public… More
The PEN Pod: On NSO Group Accountability, Payroll Credit for Compensation of Local News Journalists, and Eliminating Facial Recognition Technology from Facebook
“People are unmoored in terms of where to get credible information, and local news really used to fill that void and be a kind of informational anchor for people.” More
Facebook Must Cease its Legal Intimidation of ‘Doomsday Machine’ TV Producers
Facebook’s legal team has sent a warning letter to Anonymous Content, the production company developing the upcoming TV series ‘Doomsday Machine.’ More
The PEN Pod: On Dave Chappelle, Protecting Journalists, and More Facebook Revelations
“My goal was to document voices that were not heard the same way that others were, and I wanted to make sure to hand a mic to my local… More
The PEN Pod: On Our Gala, Free Speech in Higher Ed, and Facebook Algorithms with Suzanne Nossel
“Nurturing the community in that way, creating these opportunities to get together, we see as part of our role at PEN America, and we were glad to be able… More
An Online SOS: How Social Media Companies Can Provide Real-Time Support for Targets of Online Abuse
To navigate these terrifying situations, users need to be able to quickly access personalized support in real time. This is where an SOS button and emergency hotline come in. More
The Taliban Takeover Is Forcing Afghans to Delete Their Photos and Posts—It’s a Free Expression Tragedy
Photos and social media posts in Afghanistan are being used against individuals as the Taliban takes over. Digital platforms have a responsibility to prevent digital cultural erasure. More