Shaming Big Tech Over Child Safety is Working Better Thank You Think (via Protocol)

The unveiling of the 2022 Dirty Dozen List comes at a very unique moment in time—one where there is urgency and opportunity to hold Big Tech accountable.

Reporter Ben Brody writes:

"Have you noticed tech companies starting to capitulate in making the internet (slightly) safer for kids and teens? Me too. One reason they’re doing it is Frances Haugen. Another is international regulation. But don’t underestimate the role of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.

You can draw a pretty direct line between NCOSE and some of the bigger recent changes to How Tech Actually Brings Us Content."

Of course, none of the changes, progress, and victories we've seen could be possible without individual advocates like YOU. Thank you for contributing to a major cultural shift to protect children online and listen to survivors.

Meta Made the 2022 DDL. So What's Up With WhatsApp?

WhatsApp might seem to some like a safe and reliable platform, but it is now one of the top three platforms where children report experiencing harmful behavior.

  • 21% of WhatsApp users report having had a sexually explicit interaction
  • 11% of minors surveyed reported having had a "sexual interaction with someone they believed to be an adult" on WhatsApp

How Image-based Sexual Abuse Flourishes on Reddit

Reddit is a predator’s paradise—a playground of overt misogyny, sexual abuse, and gender-based violence. Entire subreddits exist with the sole intention of posting sexually explicit images of women and girls without their consent.

In many cases, Reddit refuses to take down the illegal and harmful content, all while having lackluster policies and procedures which fail to prevent the criminal material from being shared on their platform in the first place.

Does the Dirty Dozen List Even Work?

We know going up against giant tech companies, Fortune 500 corporations, and the billion-dollar pornography industry can feel utterly overwhelming. Even the most optimistic among us can feel daunted, questioning whether any effort—big or small—can make a difference.  

We assure you that the answer is "YES!" Collectively, we can change corporations and culture. We can, we have, and we are right now thanks to your dedicated support and advocacy efforts.

Just last year, in 2021 alone, major corporations like Google, Roku, and TikTok made changes based on our collective advocacy. Changes that have already had—and which will continue to have—a positive impact on the lives of countless women, men, and children.

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