Social media corporations urged to introduce ‘timeouts’ and ‘prompts’ to deal with abuse
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall warned social media companies they are complicit in creating spaces where ‘sexism festers’ if they fail to act on online misogyny
Tech firms are being urged to stamp out misogyny online by ramping up efforts to tackle trolling and toxic abuse of women and girls.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall welcomed the media regulator’s new guidance and warned social media companies they are complicit in creating spaces where “sexism festers” if they fail to act.
Ofcom’s new guidance urges online platforms to introduce “prompts” asking users to reconsider before posting misogynistic or sexually violent content. It also suggests imposing “timeouts” for users who repeatedly attempt to abuse a platform to target victims.
Ofcom also encourages social media firms to de-monetise posts or videos which promote misogynistic abuse and to boost diverse content in recommender ‘for you’ feeds to help prevent “toxic echo” chambers. Elsewhere, online platforms should consider setting volume limits on posts to help prevent mass-posting of abuse in pile-ons.
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Another recommendation is for firms to use automated technology known as “hash-matching” to detect and remove non-consensual intimate images. But the guidance is not enforceable, with online safety organisation Internet Matters urging the Government to make it mandatory.
Ms Kendall said: “Tech companies have the ability and the technical tools to block and delete online misogyny. If they fail to act, they’re not just bystanders, they’re complicit in creating spaces where sexism festers and a society where abuse against women and girls becomes normalised.
“I welcome the steps Ofcom has taken to drive this change. Now it’s time for platforms to take responsibility and use every lever to protect women and girls online.”
Rachel Huggins, co-chief executive at Internet Matters, said: “Ofcom’s guidance includes strong measures to make the online world safer – from better privacy defaults, to changes to curb the spread of misogynistic content – but they are just recommendations.
“If Government is truly committed to halving violence against woman and girls in a decade, they should make Ofcom’s ‘A Safer Life Online for Woman and Girls’ guidance for tech platforms a statutory Code of Practice. This would require platforms to implement the measures outlined in it, rather than making it a choice.”
Ofcom said women in sport, politics and other public arenas are facing “significant and widespread abuse online every day”.
Earlier this year, Sport England chairman Chris Boardman wrote to Ofcom to raise concerns over the online abuse directed against the England Women’s team during Euro 2025.
Meanwhile, Parliament’s youngest female MP Rosie Wrighting has previously spoken of several insults directed at her, such as “Barbie” and “stupid girl”, and said there have been “many great women” who have not gone into politics because of online abuse and safety concerns.
Ofcom’s guidance, published today, applies to a range of providers including social media platforms, dating, gaming and pornography sites, urging them to take more responsibility for protecting users online.
The regulator will report in summer 2027 on progress made by individual companies. But it added: “If their action falls short, we will consider making formal recommendations to Government on where the Online Safety Act may need to be strengthened.”
Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom’s Chief Executive, said: “When I listen to women and girls who’ve experienced online abuse, their stories are deeply shocking. That’s why today we are sending a clear message to tech firms to step up and act in line with our practical industry guidance, to protect their female users against the very real online risks they face today.”
