HASSL Parliament Submission Published: Social Media's Effect on Attitudes Towards Women

HASSL is proud to announce that our first written submission to UK Parliament has now been formally published - a significant step in taking our mission from awareness to policy change.

This submission, co-authored with Dr. Luke Chambers, examines the gaps in how harassment is defined, policed, and reported under current UK law. It highlights the urgent need for:

Key Points Raised:

• Algorithmic Targeting: Online environments, especially social media algorithms, deliberately or inadvertently target the most impressionable users, amplifying harmful, misogynistic content to those most likely to be radicalised.
• Normalisation of Misogyny: Online content not only spreads sexist ideas but also emboldens existing misogynists by creating the impression their beliefs are widely supported, encouraging them to act offline.
• Profit over Safety: Platforms have a financial incentive to drive engagement through provocative and harmful content, even though it radicalises users, and there are rarely meaningful consequences for failing to remove it.
• Failure of Enforcement: Harmful content is often left online even after being reported, and enforcement of existing rules is minimal, leaving women exposed to ongoing abuse.
• Real-World Spillover: A lack of online accountability increases the likelihood that perpetrators, particularly young men, will act out these beliefs offline.

Our recommendation calls for restricting or removing ad and subscription revenue from misogynistic content, thereby reducing its profitability and incentive for promotion - a more practical and transparent solution than attempting to police the recommendation algorithm itself.

🔗 Read the full submission here

Formal publication means our recommendations are now on record for policymakers, MPs, and committees to review as they consider future legislation. This is an important step in getting systemic solutions onto the political agenda - but it’s not the end of the process.

What happens next:
Parliamentary committees will review submissions like ours as part of their evidence base when debating policy changes or drafting new bills. We will continue to submit evidence, data, and recommendations - ensuring the lived experiences of our community are heard in the rooms where decisions are made.

Want to help submit in your country? Ambassadors play a vital role in facilitating submissions like this - join our ambassador program to get involved: https://hassl.uk/pages/ambassador-program

This milestone represents a key part of Stage 3 of our five-stage plan: turning insight into action, shaping public policy, and holding systems accountable for creating safer spaces