<
https://www.techdirt.com/2025/01/09/metas-moderation-modifications-mean-anti-lgbtq-speech-is-welcome-while-pro-lgbtq-speech-is-not/>
"On Monday, Taylor Lorenz posted a telling story about how Meta has been
suppressing access to LGBTQ content across its platforms, labeling it as
“sensitive content” or “sexually explicit.”
Posts with LGBTQ+ hashtags including #lesbian, #bisexual, #gay, #trans,
#queer, #nonbinary, #pansexial, #transwomen, #Tgirl, #Tboy,
#Tgirlsarebeautiful, #bisexualpride, #lesbianpride, and dozens of others
were hidden for any users who had their sensitive content filter turned on.
Teenagers have the sensitive content filter turned on by default.
When teen users attempted to search LGBTQ terms they were shown a blank page
and a prompt from Meta to review the platform’s “sensitive content”
restrictions, which discuss why the app hides “sexually explicit” content.
This is notable because, despite the moral panic around “kids and social
media,” even the most ardent critics usually (reluctantly) admit social media
has been incredibly useful for LGBTQ youth seeking information and community,
often benefiting their health and wellbeing.
I had started to write up this article about that, planning to focus on two
points. First, contrary to the popular (but false) belief that content
moderation targets traditionally “conservative” speech, it very often targets
traditionally “progressive” speech. We see these stories all the time, but the
MAGA world either doesn’t know or doesn’t care.
Second, this seemed like a pretty strong reminder of how LGBTQ content will be
on the chopping block if KOSA becomes law. Indeed, the very existence of the
“sensitive content” restrictions on Meta’s platforms (including Facebook,
Instagram, and Threads) was actually the company trying to comply-in-advance
with KOSA, forcing all teenagers to have the “sensitive content filter” on by
default.
In other words, Meta effectively revealed that, yes, of course the easiest way
to abide by KOSA’s restrictions will be to restrict access to any pro-LGBTQ
content.
In response to Lorenz’s story, Meta said (as it always does when one of these
kinds of stories pops up) that it was “a mistake” and promised to correct it.
But, as Lorenz notes, the suppression happened for quite some time, and users
who tried to raise the alarm found their own posts hidden."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
