Latest news with #socialMediaSafety
CNN
3 days ago
- CNN
Teenage TikTok star's murder leaves Pakistani women questioning whether any safe spaces exist – online or on the street
When Sana Yousaf turned 17, she posted a video of her birthday celebrations to more than a million followers on TikTok. They saw her cutting a pink and cream cake beneath a matching balloon arch, the June breeze ruffling her long hair as she beamed against the backdrop of the cloud-covered Margalla Hills in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. Less than 24 hours later, Sana was dead, a bullet through her chest and graphic images of her dead body going viral on Pakistani social media, outraging women across the country, who fear there are no safe spaces for them anymore – in reality, or online. Police have detained 22-year-old Umar Hayat, an unemployed man from the city of Faisalabad, over Sana's murder. Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, the Inspector General of Police of Islamabad, alleged Rizvi 'repeatedly attempted to contact' the teenager and killed her when she refused to respond. CNN has not been able to locate a legal representative for Hayat. Sana's father, Syed Yousaf Hassan, told CNN no words could convey the family's loss, and his daughter hadn't told him she was being harassed. 'My daughter was braver than a son,' he said. 'She didn't fear anything.' As Sana's family prepared for her funeral, disturbing comments started popping up on her TikTok and Instagram posts, most in Urdu, celebrating her killing. 'Happy to see these things happening,' read one. Another stated, 'My heart is happy today, I'm going to turn on music and dance with joy.' Under a picture of Sana wearing traditional Pakistani clothes covering her entire body, a comment said, 'encouraging young women to seek attention or expose themselves can have serious negative consequences.' The Digital Rights Foundation (DRF), a women-led nonprofit that promotes online safety, said such rhetoric 'dangerously links a woman's online presence or perceived morality to justifications for violence.' 'This form of digital vigilantism contributes to a broader culture of victim-blaming, where abuse is normalized and accountability is shifted away from the perpetrator,' the DRF said in a report released soon after Sana's death. Alongside toxic online comments, rage has simmered among women across Pakistan, who are demanding justice for Sana, pointing to a crisis of masculinity in the South Asian nation. And Pakistan is far from alone in seeing heated debates over the prevalence of violence against women. Recent multiple murders in Latin America, including a Mexican influencer who was shot dead while livestreaming, has sparked indignation and highlighted the high rates of femicide across the continent. British miniseries'Adolescence' became a global hit this year with its raw depiction of the damage caused by online misogyny while a recent largescale Australia study found one in three men saying they have committed intimate partner violence at some point in their lives. Sana's TikTok content would be familiar to any teenager online. Her recent shorts included showing off her fashionwear, singing songs while driving, and filming a blowdry at the salon. But for prominent women's rights campaigners, Sana's death was the ultimate outcome of unrestricted online abuse of women in a patriarchal country. Amber Rahim Shamsi, a prominent journalist and Pakistan editor of a news digital platform, Nukta, says she was relentlessly harassed online in 2020 for a variety of issues, including her views on women's rights. 'I have also been stalked online, and became fearful when my stalker started to send me mugs and mounted photos to my office. I am just one example among millions of women from all walks of life. Most don't have the privilege or social safety nets to protect themselves,' Shamsi told CNN. Shamsi agrees that there is a crisis in masculinity, 'especially in how it plays out in our digital spaces.' And that it needs to be talked about 'not just for women's sake, but for men's, too.' According to Shamsi, 'social media has amplified women's voices – especially those of young women – who are increasingly educated, politically aware, and unafraid to own their choices. That visibility, that confidence, is unsettling for some men who have grown up believing their authority, their control, is a given.' 'It's an identity crisis,' says Shamsi. 'A subset of men is reacting with anxiety and aggression to this shift in gender dynamic as though the solution is to shrink women's spaces, rather than question why so many boys are being raised to feel threatened by equality.' The DRF's report stated that since 2017 its helpline 'has documented over 20,000 cases of technology-facilitated gender-based violence and online threats, numbers that have only grown.' Kanwal Ahmed, a Pakistani social entrepreneur and storyteller, runs Soul Sister Pakistan, a Facebook group created in 2013 with over 300,000 followers. For years, it's operated as a popular safe digital space for Pakistani women online, but Ahmed says the criticism of her page has been unrelenting. 'We have been called a man-hating, trauma-bonding club where all women do is gossip,' said Ahmed, who works with volunteers to help women in need who post on the page. Sana is not alone when it comes to unwanted online attention that's moved to real life. Ahmed recalled a case in 2019 of a young woman who had been stalked by a man after her friend leaked her number online. 'The only difference between her and Sana is that she wasn't killed, the stalker turned up at her door,' said Ahmed. 'You don't have to be an influencer to face this, it can happen to anyone.' Natalia Tariq, the resource mobilization lead at the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), a worldwide network of social activists who use the internet to make the world a better place, tells CNN that there is 'a complete culture of impunity' around online gender-based violence in Pakistan. Regulations and policies in place in the country are 'absolutely inadequate,' she said. There's a perception in Pakistan that 'violence that takes place online is not 'real' and is therefore less harmful,' Tariq said. But she added that what are sometimes seen as 'merely virtual' online threats can often turn to physical violence. Much praise has been heaped on Pakistani authorities for their sensitive and swift handling of Sana's murder, but some commentators say that's missing the point. Usama Khilji, the director of Bolo Bhi, a digital rights advocacy group Bolo Bhi, says Pakistan should be talking about educating boys about online harassment. 'Men in leadership positions need to be talking about these issues,' according to Khilji. Khilji said hate speech against women in Pakistan is still 'not a priority, and he's called on the government to 'show leadership in combatting online crimes against women.' Sana's murder comes less than two weeks after a landmark ruling by the country's Supreme Court upheld the death penalty for Zahir Jaffer, who murdered Noor Mukkadam, the daughter of a distinguished diplomat, in 2021. The brutal beheading horrified the country and renewed calls for better protection for victims of gender-based violence. Noor's father, Shaukat Mukadam, has been lauded for his relentless campaign for justice for his daughter. After the ruling, Noor's family issued a statement saying the verdict was a 'powerful reminder that women's lives matter.' Sana's father, Hassan, told CNN of his immense love for his daughter, of her plans to become a doctor, and the simple things that gave her joy, like birthday parties. 'Every moment with her was unforgettable,' he said.
CNET
17-05-2025
- CNET
I Found the Worst Social Media Posts Burglars Watch For: Check Your Feed Today
In our online age, it's no surprise burglars cruise social media to scout out what and when to steal -- who's likely to be at home? Who's traveling? The good news is that home security technology has led to a drop in burglaries over the past decade, but that also means thieves are getting smarter. One of their latest tactics is eyeing our TikTok updates, new Insta pics and Facebook family updates for signs our homes are vulnerable. Even if you think your social media feed is safe, it can be tough to know who's watching your feed. With the right practices, though, you don't need to worry. Here are key social media mistakes to avoid, while still getting those likes -- take a look before you post. Read more: Best Ways to Keep Your Home Address Off the Web Sharing travel plans ahead of time leaves a house vulnerable Pay attention to the details you are sharing online to stay safe. Tatiana Lavrova via Getty Travel is exciting and the perfect opportunity to post your influencer-level photos in exotic new locations, but that comes with a hidden risk. Showing everyone that you plan to be away from home (or are currently on a trip) could give burglars or other opportunists the green light to take advantage of an empty house. You'd be surprised how many people have returned from a vacation to find an unwelcome guest. Preparing your home security for a trip can help with this, but it's best to avoid the risk by waiting to post your vacation photos. Take a tip from the pros and schedule your in-the-moment vacation pics for later when you're home. Everyone gets to enjoy photos from your vacation but at a slightly later date. Important note: The same is true if you're moving to a new address. Wait until the move is complete before you post. Tagging real-time locations shows exactly where you are (and aren't) Geotagged photos or automatic location tagging shows where you are in real time as you post. It can be fun to show friends you arrived at a venue or checked into a favorite restaurant, but that also shows everyone else you aren't home right now. The same is true about posting a pic with geotags, even if you're just out and about the town. This precise location data can give mischief-makers and thieves a tip that you aren't at home and your house may be open for trouble. Never post content that makes it easy to tell when you aren't at home. alvarez via Getty Talking about your routine can tell burglars when to show up Social media is packed with people listing out their daily routines and habits (do we really need to know about your 6am run?), but if you want to follow suit be careful just how much you share. Don't reveal the times of day you head to work or to the gym, for example. You don't want anyone to have a record of when your home or room will be unoccupied. Thieves are already using security cameras to spy on homeowner routines; don't make things easier for them. Posting a big new purchase could draw unwanted eyes Another common mistake social media users make is posting a pricey new item they recently obtained. Sure, it's exciting to show off and share big buys like a new TV, a new PC setup, a collection of expensive miniatures, fancy new tools or new jewelry, but that's the sort of thing burglars watch for online. Stay safe and keep those special purchases just between you and your IRL friends to cut down on the chances they get stolen. Read more: The 7 Most Common Home Security Mistakes to Stop Making Photos don't just give away your location, they also show people what you own. Feverpitched via Getty If you're not doing it, your kids could be Finally, keep in mind even if you're extra careful on social media, your kids (or your partner) may be less cautious. Younger social media users in particular may not recognize the dangers of posting all kinds of personal details, especially when a several-second video can get them a burst of recognition on TikTok. So make sure your family also understands these risks and knows that there are certain things they shouldn't post online -- at least, not right away. Does this stuff matter if your social posts aren't public? Keeping your social media restricted only to friends keeps your post much safer and we highly recommend it. But it's not a cure-all for these risks. First, it's hard to tell who is currently following you and if their acquaintances also have access to their social feed, especially if you have a lot of followers. Second, as mentioned above, other family members may not be as cautious and could reveal details to people outside their circles. Third, some enterprising burglars may even spam fake account requests to access a huge amount of social profiles at once and glean whatever information they can. It's pretty rare, but that's also why you don't accept random requests without some kind of connection. For more information on how to keep your home safe, you should stop by our tips on stress-free living alone, our broad home security cheat sheet and tips to prevent all kinds of break-ins.
Washington Post
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Major social media platforms fail to protect LGBTQ users, advocacy group GLAAD says
SAN FRANCISCO — Major social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube have failed to protect LGBTQ+ users from hate and harassment, in part, because they intentionally rolled back previous safety practices, the advocacy group GLAAD said Tuesday in its annual Social Media Safety Index . The report said that recent 'unprecedented hate speech policy rollbacks' from Instagram and Facebook parent Meta Platforms and Google's YouTube are 'actively undermining the safety of LGBTQ people' both online and offline. Meta's rollback now allows users to call LGBTQ people 'mentally ill,' among other policy changes.
The Independent
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Major social media platforms fail to protect LGBTQ users, advocacy group GLAAD says
Major social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and X have failed to protect LGBTQ+ users from hate and harassment, in part, because they intentionally rolled back previous safety practices, the advocacy group GLAAD said Tuesday in its annual Social Media Safety Index. The report said that recent 'unprecedented hate speech policy rollbacks' from Instagram and Facebook parent Meta Platforms and Google 's YouTube are 'actively undermining the safety of LGBTQ people' both online and offline. Meta's rollback now allows users to call LGBTQ people 'mentally ill,' among other policy changes. The scorecard assigns numeric ratings to each platform with regard to LGBTQ safety, privacy, and expression. Elon Musk's X received the lowest score at 30 out of 100, while TikTok came in highest at 56. Meta's Facebook, Instagram, Threads and Google's YouTube were in the 40s. The group's methodology has changed since last year, so the scores are not directly comparable to previous reports. 'At a time when real-world violence and harassment against LGBTQ people is on the rise, social media companies are profiting from the flames of anti-LGBTQ hate instead of ensuring the basic safety of LGBTQ users," said Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD's president and CEO. While X has received the lowest scores since Musk's takeover of the platform in 2022 — when it was called Twitter — Meta's backslide can largely be attributed to its recent policy shift. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in January that Meta is removing restrictions on topics like immigration and gender 'that are out of touch with mainstream discourse,' citing 'recent elections' as a catalyst. GLAAD calls the rollback 'particularly extreme." Representatives for Meta, TikTok and X did not immediately respond to messages for comment on Monday afternoon. GLAAD said Google recently removed 'gender identity and expression' from YouTube's list of protected characteristic groups, which suggests that the platform is "no longer protecting transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people from hate and discrimination." Google says this is not the case. 'We confirmed earlier this year our hate speech policy hasn't changed. We have strict policies against content that promotes hatred or violence against members of the LGBTQ+ community and we continue to be vigilant in our efforts to quickly detect and remove this content,' Google said in a statement. Although GLAAD acknowledges Google's statement, the organization stresses that gender identity has not been restored as a protected characteristic on YouTube's hate speech policy page. 'YouTube should reverse this dangerous policy change and update its 'Hate Speech' policy to expressly include gender identity and expression as a protected characteristic,' the report says. GLAAD's report makes policy recommendations for protecting LGBTQ users, though it's unclear if the platforms will take these up, given that many have rolled back such protections. For instance, GLAAD says platforms should protect LGBTQ people from hate, harassment and violence, prohibit targeted misgendering and 'deadnaming' of transgender users and explain steps it takes to stop wrongfully removing or demonetizing legitimate accounts and content related to LGBTQ topics.
