A new report from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue has found that children searching for information on the Israel-Hamas conflict on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are easily able to access graphic and distressing content, including images of corpses. The researchers created profiles for 13-year-old children and found over 300 posts and videos showcasing extremely violent imagery when browsing hashtags related to the conflict. Shockingly, they found that approximately one-fifth of the recommended posts on one fictitious 13-year-old’s Instagram feed were images of corpses. The study highlights the inadequate enforcement of content moderation policies by these platforms and calls for new regulations to protect young users.
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Introduction
A new report from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) has found that children easily find images of corpses while searching for ‘Gaza’ on Instagram. The research highlights the disturbing ease with which social media platforms serve up distressing content to minors. This article will delve into the research findings, the results on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, the response from social media platforms, the call for regulation, efforts in the U.S., alternative solutions, and parental responsibility.
Research findings
The ISD conducted research by creating profiles for 13-year-old children on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. Over a two-day period, they browsed hashtags such as #Gaza and #Gazaconflict to see what content would be served to minors. The researchers found over 300 posts or videos portraying extremely graphic, distressing, or violent imagery. Most of the extreme content was found on Instagram, where 16.9% of the searches for “Gaza” turned up graphic and/or violent content, including naked and mutilated bodies and infants’ skulls. TikTok had lower percentages of graphic content, but the autofill searches were problematic. Snapchat’s results were not mentioned in the report.
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Results on Instagram
The research revealed that Instagram had the highest prevalence of extreme content related to Gaza. Of the searches for “Gaza” conducted by the fictitious 13-year-old users, approximately one-fifth of the recommended posts on their home feeds were images of corpses. This accessibility to graphic content was shocking to the researchers and highlights the need for action to protect young users from such disturbing imagery.
Results on TikTok
While TikTok had lower percentages of graphic content related to Gaza, the platform’s autofill searches were a concern. ISD researchers noted that phrases like “Gaza dead children,” “Gaza dead kids,” and “dead woman Gaza” were automatically suggested in the search bar. This kind of autocomplete feature can lead users, especially children, to explicit content unintentionally.
Results on Snapchat
The report did not mention specific results from Snapchat. However, it is essential to address the content that young users may encounter on this platform and ensure that appropriate measures are taken to protect them from disturbing images.
Response from social media platforms
In response to the findings, social media platforms such as Meta (the parent company of Instagram) and TikTok have outlined steps they are taking to reduce the presence of graphic and violent content. Meta stated in a blog post that they use technology to avoid recommending potentially violating and borderline content across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. TikTok has mentioned evolving its automated detection systems to automatically detect and remove graphic and violent content. However, the report suggests that these platforms are not doing enough to enforce their own policies and calls for new regulations to ensure the protection of young users.
Call for regulation
The research findings and the insufficient response from social media platforms highlight the need for regulations to address the issue of children accessing graphic content. The European Union’s Digital Services Act, which includes requirements for tech platforms to enforce their own moderation policies and protect the psychological well-being of younger users, provides an example of the type of regulation needed. In contrast, the United States lacks enforceable regulations, and efforts to pass child online safety laws face pushback from digital rights activists and tech industry lobbyists.
Efforts in the U.S.
While the U.S. currently lacks comprehensive regulations to address children accessing graphic content on social media platforms, there are ongoing efforts to pass child online safety laws. The Kids Online Safety Act, a bipartisan bill, aims to impose a legal responsibility on platforms to mitigate harms to minors. However, there are concerns that certain aspects of child safety legislation could lead to over-censorship or harm internet users in general. Some argue that comprehensive data privacy laws would be a more effective approach to disincentivize platforms from using toxic content for data collection.
Alternative solutions
In addition to regulation and data privacy laws, alternative solutions can play a role in protecting children from accessing graphic content on social media platforms. Implementing stronger age verification mechanisms, improving content moderation algorithms, and increasing the presence of human moderators who can review and remove inappropriate content can all contribute to a safer online environment for children.
Parental responsibility
While there is a clear responsibility for social media platforms and regulators to take action, parental responsibility also plays a crucial role in protecting children online. Parents must actively monitor their children’s internet usage, have conversations about appropriate online behavior, and use parental control tools to limit access to explicit content. Educating parents about the risks and providing resources for guidance can empower them to play an active role in their children’s digital lives.
In conclusion, the research findings regarding children easily finding images of corpses while searching for ‘Gaza’ on Instagram highlight the urgent need for action. Social media platforms must enforce their own content moderation policies more effectively, and regulations must be put in place to protect young users from accessing graphic content. Efforts in the U.S. to pass child online safety laws should be supported but must be balanced with considerations of potential over-censorship. Alternative solutions, such as stronger age verification mechanisms and comprehensive data privacy laws, can also contribute to a safer online environment. Ultimately, parental responsibility is crucial in ensuring children’s online safety, and parents must actively monitor and guide their children’s internet usage.
