Government Warns Tech Firms to Do More to Protect Women and Girls Online

Technology companies have been warned they must go “above and beyond” to protect women and girls from online abuse or face further action from the UK Government.

The warning was issued by Technology Secretary Liz Kendall during a roundtable meeting with major platforms including Snapchat, Meta, YouTube and TikTok. The meeting focused on tackling the growing problem of online harassment, misogyny and image-based abuse affecting women and girls across digital platforms.

The government says tech firms must act faster to implement stronger safety measures, building on guidance already issued by the communications regulator Ofcom. Suggested actions include improved reporting tools, stronger privacy settings, prompts that discourage harmful posts, and technology to detect and remove abusive or intimate images shared without consent.

Ministers have made clear that protecting women and girls online is a priority and that companies must use all available tools to prevent abuse and harassment. If platforms fail to take meaningful action, the government has indicated it may consider further regulatory steps to ensure users are properly protected.

The announcement forms part of wider efforts to tackle online harms and create a safer digital environment for everyone.

🔗 Read the full announcement: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tech-companies-must-go-above-and-beyond-to-protect-women-and-girls-from-online-abuse-or-face-further-action