GLAAD warns that the internet is becoming more dangerous for LGBTQ+ people

""What we did not expect, however, was a steady and precipitous erosion of those scores," President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis wrote in the report. "Both Meta and YouTube have implemented and sustained calculated policy changes this past year that knowingly make LGBTQ people less safe.""

"The report evaluated six major platforms - TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads - across 14 LGBTQ-specific indicators related to online safety, privacy, and expression. None passed. TikTok received the highest score at 56 out of 100. Instagram scored 41, Facebook 40, Threads 39, YouTube 30, and X 29."

"The findings mark a worsening trajectory from last year's report, when GLAAD warned that Meta's policy changes represented an "extreme" retreat from established trust and safety standards. In the 2025 index, Instagram and Facebook each scored 45, YouTube 41, Threads 40, X 30, and TikTok 56. This year, Meta's platforms all declined further, while YouTube suffered the steepest drop, falling 11 points after removing gender identity from its hate speech protections. TikTok was the only platform whose score did not decline."

"The report accuses companies, including Meta and YouTube, of weakening moderation policies, rolling back protections for transgender users, suppressing LGBTQ+ content, and failing to curb escalating anti-LGBTQ+ hate and disinformation online. GLAAD's report argues the changes reflect a broader shift inside major tech companies away from moderation and trust-and-safety practices; at the same time, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and legislation are intensifying nationally."

Safety scores declined across nearly every major social platform evaluated, with none passing LGBTQ-specific indicators covering online safety, privacy, and expression. Companies including Meta and YouTube were accused of weakening moderation policies, rolling back protections for transgender users, suppressing LGBTQ+ content, and failing to curb escalating anti-LGBTQ+ hate and disinformation. The changes were framed as part of a broader shift away from moderation and trust-and-safety practices inside major tech companies. The report also links the online deterioration to intensifying anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and legislation nationally. TikTok scored highest at 56, while X scored lowest at 29, and YouTube fell steeply after removing gender identity from hate speech protections.

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