Following a long campaign, the Government has agreed to change the Online Safety Bill to better protect women and girls from online abuse. This is a huge step forward and should help ensure that the Bill, and therefore social media and internet platforms, do more to reduce and prevent online harassment and abuse.
This change was secured following a successful campaign by a coalition of civil society groups - the End Violence Against Women coalition, Carnegie UK, Glitch, Refuge, NSPCC, 5Rights Foundation - as well as myself and Prof Lorna Woods.
Together, we developed a draft VAWG Code of Practice to highlight what sort of guidance was needed to ensure tech companies take online VAW seriously. While the Guidance does not go as far necessary, it is still a vital step forward.
Further Reading:
My research and policy work challenging online abuse: Online Safety | Professor Clare McGlynn, University of Durham
End Violence Against Women statement: CAMPAIGN WIN! New Online Safety Bill guidance to tackle abuse of women and girls | End Violence Against Women
Background and campaign documents: Coalition of experts call for a VAWG Code of Practice in the Online Safety Bill | End Violence Against Women
Copy of draft Code of Practice on Violence Against Women and Girls: Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Code of Practice - Carnegie UK Trust