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Amnesty International has raised the alarm about what it calls the staggering levels of online misogyny that plague social media. The global human rights NGO has warned that this toxicity is actually driving young people, particularly women, away from spaces meant for connection and creativity.

The organization recently commissioned a survey in a bid to find out exactly how much misogyny is lurking on the net, and how it's affecting social media users. 3,024 Gen Z respondents from across the United Kingdom took part in the poll. And Amnesty International was alarmed by some of the results.

The organization said the outcome of the survey, titled Toxic Tech: How Misogyny is Shaping Gen Z’s Online Experience, "underscore the urgent need for tech platforms to overhaul their policies and take concrete steps toward ensuring safer digital communities."

The survey results suggest that many young people no longer feel safe online, with some going as far as avoiding social media altogether. 73% of Gen Z respondents said they'd witnessed misogynistic content online. And not just now and again...

Half of them revealed that they encounter these type of posts on a weekly basis. Many youngsters have a negative outlook and say the problem is only getting worse. 70% of those polled believe misogynistic and divisive language has increased on social media.  

“It’s so ingrained in society, that many people don’t recognise it when it’s happening - which is sad," said one of the respondents. "The hatred of women is everywhere and dictates the way men behave online.”

Less than half of Gen Z social media users polled don't feel that social media is a safe space to be. And some very worrying stats emerged about how young women are being harassed online. “As a woman, it’s something women experience every day," said one of the respondents. "I no longer post on social media due to the constant hate and negativity. Even seeing the comments/hate directed towards somebody else is soul destroying.”

More than half of the young women who took part in the survey said they'd received inappropriate emojis on their posts and photos. 44% had received unsolicited explicit images. Almost the same number revealed they'd been body-shamed. And 40% said they were subjected to unwanted sexually suggestive comments. A number of young women had also been the victims of hate speech and online stalking.  

The survey also delved into the minds of some young men. And a few of the comments were disturbing. Just under half of the guys polled believe that misogyny on social media mirrors real-world sexism, meaning the other half think someone can post hateful things (as a joke) but not truly be a misogynist IRL.

One guy said that “Anything online is a joke and people who cry about others rage baiting need a helmet.” While another commented that “It isn’t that deep. It’s all a laugh.”

Many of the women didn't agree. “Online misogyny often reflects real life attitudes, it shouldn’t be taken lightly,” said one of them.

So why the increase in these misogynistic, hateful posts? Well, 61% of Gen Z social media users polled blame political leaders and public figures. They say certain politicians and influencers have been setting, or raising, the proverbial misogynistic bar with their statements or actions.

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that half of the guys named Andrew Tate as a key source of online misogyny. But it was a bit different for the young women. 58% of them pointed to the U.S. president as a major contributor of online toxicity.

To break it down further, in the last month, 60% of women said they'd seen misogynistic content from Trump, while 57% of Gen Z men had spotted sexist posts from Elon Musk, 55% from Trump and 41% from Andrew Tate.

TikTok was outed as the most toxic social media platform. 80% of female respondents reported encountering misogynistic content while using the platform. Instagram grabbed second spot for an unhealthy online environment, followed by Twitter/X, YouTube, and lastly, Facebook.

Amnesty believes that while TikTok has robust policies in place, enforcement remains inconsistent. The NGO explained that TikTok’s algorithm can amplify harmful narratives, exposing a predominantly young audience to misogynistic content.

Amnesty International says tech companies aren't doing enough to keep online spaces clean. “This polling paints a deeply troubling picture of the digital world young people are forced to navigate. Tech companies continue to prioritise profit over people’s safety and the result is a barrage of misogynistic content which deeply affects young people’s online experience. A toxic ‘bro’ culture is driving many young women away from social media altogether," said Chiara Capraro, Amnesty International UK’s Gender Justice Programme Director.

Capraro added that the survey's findings should be a stark wake-up call for tech leaders, who are either turning a blind eye to the toxicity or, in some cases, actively contributing to letting it rip.

Social media should be a space for creativity, expression, and connection—not a hostile environment rife with harassment and hate, says Amnesty International. And we couldn't agree more. "It’s time for tech companies to step up and take responsibility for the safety of their users," warned Capraro. "Women’s rights are human rights and online misogyny does real world harm.”