Regulation and technology can help combat spread of online misogyny, expert says

Regulation and technology can help online platforms combat extreme views and misogynistic attitudes but sites have taken a “hands-off approach” to content for “too long”, an online safety expert has said.

Lina Ghazal said TV shows like Netflix drama Adolescence “shine a light on the devastating impact” the spread of such content can have on young people.

On Monday, the Prime Minister hosted Adolescence writer Jack Thorne and producer Jo Johnson at Downing Street, alongside representatives from the NSPCC and Children’s Society, where he said he wanted to talk about “what can we do as a society to stop and prevent young boys being dragged into this whirlpool of hatred and misogyny”.

Netflix said it would make the series free to stream for all secondary schools across the UK.

The TV drama, which examines so-called incel (involuntary celibate) culture, has prompted a national conversation about online safety.

Sir Keir Starmer said he had watched the show with his family and had not found it easy viewing.

He said the online world and social media means “ideology” can be “pumped directly into the minds of our children”, and there may not be a single response to adequately address the issue of misogyny, which he said is “much bigger” than just an online problem, and “almost a cultural issue”.

Ms Ghazal, the head of regulatory and public affairs at online safety provider Verifymy, who has previously worked at both Meta and Ofcom, said she agreed with Sir Keir’s assessment, but said new online safety laws and the growing use of technology in content moderation could play a key role in combating the issue, and it was also time for social media sites to step up.

“For too long, many online platforms have taken a hands-off approach to user content and behaviour, allowing extremist views and misogynistic attitudes to proliferate. Shows like Adolescence shine a light on the devastating impact this can have on young people,” she told the PA news agency.

“As the Prime Minister says, there is no single solution to the issue but regulation and technology can ensure sites become weaker breeding grounds for harmful content – and that children are less likely to see it.

“The Online Safety Act is a step in the right direction, and Ofcom has now a key role to play in enforcing it, cracking down on deepfake abuse, non-consensual image sharing, and extreme adult content that normalises violence.

“The recommendations of the recent independent porn review should further strengthen these efforts.

“AI-driven content moderation combined with human oversight can also prevent harmful content from being published in the first place, while innovative age assurance technology, such as email-based or facial age estimation, plays a key role in triggering safeguarding measures for young online users.

“Now, platforms must use this technology to uphold their duty of care.”

The Online Safety Act, which is gradually coming into force throughout this year, requires online platforms to follow codes of practice set out by Ofcom.

The codes dictate how platforms must stop users, and in particular children, from encountering harmful content online – including by having clear safety policies, using content moderation and reporting tools, and designing safety features to protect users.

Regulator Ofcom can impose large fines for sites found to be in breach, and in extreme cases ask a court to block access to a platform.