With companies like Meta diminishing their hateful content policies and removing fact-checking tools, online spaces risk becoming increasingly hostile environments for marginalised communities. Now, more than ever, tech companies must collaborate with LGBT+ specialists to create safer digital spaces.
When used responsibly, technology has the power to create places where freedom and connection can thrive – digital spaces that can be lifesaving for members of our community. But when important safeguarding tools are removed or omitted, technology can be used to target, harass and abuse LGBT+ people.
By working with LGBT+ experts like Galop, tech companies can lead the way in safeguarding LGBT+ users, combating misinformation, and ensuring inclusivity remains at the heart of innovation.
Invest in inclusivity
Inclusivity is more than a tick-box exercise. Whether you’re just getting started or a household name, tech companies should invest time in analysing their audience. Are you considering who benefits from your tech, who might not be safe on your tech, and who is at risk of abuse?
LGBT+ specialists hold a wealth of insight and expertise that your company could be missing out on. Listening to expert knowledge can help you rigorously question where your tech can better meet LGBT+ users' needs.
At Galop, we support and encourage companies to incorporate a specialist LGBT+ lens at the point of design and creation. Invest in LGBT+ expert voices early, it will save you time and money in the long run.
Prioritise safety-led design
Safety-led design can be innovative and creative – it’s an opportunity to push your ideas and tech further.
Have you considered how your tech can be misused to facilitate abuse? In our frontline support services, we’re seeing tech being misused to incite hate against LGBT+ people, manipulate people’s medication, dox people, track people and facilitate coercive controlling behaviour, and create sexually explicit deepfake images. While companies don’t intend for their tech to be used in this way, they have a responsibility to interrogate how their tech can and should be safer – and make those changes.
Think about who’s sitting at the design table. Are your designers and developers equipped with specialist anti-violence training or education?
Galop’s specialist training helps professionals develop a deeper understanding of abuse and violence and incorporate an intersectional understanding of LGBT+ survivor experiences into their work. If your developers can’t recognise risks, it’s likely your tech won’t meet the needs of the LGBT+ community or worse, will put us at risk of serious harm.
Be a best-practice champion
For partnerships to be effective and impactful, it’s essential for companies to approach collaboration with LGBT+ specialists thoughtfully. Make sure you’re building reciprocal relationships that value everyone’s time and expertise.
Remember, LGBT+ survivors aren’t just your users – they can be your colleagues too. Collaborating with specialist LGBT+ organisations like Galop can also help show your employees that you value their experience, enhancing the well-being, safety and retention of your LGBT+ staff.
Companies don’t need to face these challenges alone. Let’s be creative and collaborate to build a more inclusive future where technological innovation and social responsibility go hand in hand.
Let’s make technology safer for LGBT+ people.
To learn more about LGBT+ experiences of tech-facilitated abuse, check out our latest podcast with Refuge today.
You can also read our statement on Meta’s updated hateful content policy here.
Let’s make technology safer
for LGBT+ people.
for LGBT+ people.
