Meta platforms ranked among worst for LGBTQ+ safety in new GLAAD report
Scoring around 39–41 out of 100 on GLAAD’s 2026 Social Media Safety Index, Meta, YouTube and X were grouped among those ranked worst for LGBTQ+ users
By Aaron Sugg
GLAAD’s 2026 Social Media Safety Index (SMSI) found that major platforms are becoming less safe for LGBTQ+ users.
Meta’s platforms: Facebook, Instagram and Threads, are ranked among the worst for LGBTQ+ safety. The report states that Meta’s 2025 policy changes, particularly allowing for “allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation”, contributed to this decline.
Scoring around 39–41 out of 100 on GLAAD’s 2026 Social Media Safety Index, YouTube and X were grouped among those ranked worst for LGBTQ+ users alongside Meta.
GLAAD criticises Meta’s policy allowing the term “transgenderism”, describing it as an “anti-trans term”
Instagram scored 41 (down four points) from the advocacy organisation’s 2025 report, as did Facebook at 40 (down five points), and Threads at 39 (down one point).
GLAAD writes: “Widely denounced changes to Meta’s ‘Hateful Conduct’ policy in January 2025 removed critical protections for LGBTQ+ people, especially transgender and non-binary people, and other historically marginalised groups across the company’s platforms.”
The report also criticises the policy for introducing the term “transgenderism”, described as “an anti-trans term that falsely frames being transgender as an ideology rather than an innate identity.”
“TikTok has maintained strong protections for LGBTQ+ people” – GLAAD reports TikTok remains a safe social media platform for LGBTQ+ users
TikTok remains the same, scoring 56. The report states: “TikTok has maintained strong protections for LGBTQ+ people and other historically marginalised communities in its Community Guidelines.”
The Board recommended removing “transgenderism” in light of the policy change: “For its rules to have legitimacy, Meta must seek to frame its content policies neutrally, in ways that respect human rights principles of equality and non-discrimination.”
The group continued: “This could be achieved, for example, by stating ‘discourse about gender identity and sexual orientation’ in place of ‘discourse about transgenderism and homosexuality.’”
“Data privacy is an especially important concern for LGBTQ+ people” – GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis claiming platforms are collecting personal data
Meta responded only that it would “consider ways to update the terminology”. Later, it said it was still “assessing feasibility”.
GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis claimed these platforms are collecting and profiting from ever-growing amounts of personal data.
She stated: “Data privacy is an especially important concern for LGBTQ+ people because involuntary outing can have such serious impacts, including violence or legal persecution in places where being LGBTQ+ is criminalised or socially stigmatised.”
More than 50 organisations providing queer advocacy and abortion access claim Meta has censored their accounts
The report comes shortly after LGBTQ+ and abortion organisations claimed Meta is silencing their accounts in a widespread censorship sweep.
More than 50 organisations providing queer advocacy and abortion access say their accounts have been restricted or removed.
According to reporting by the Guardian, the incidents resemble – and appear to intensify – enforcement practices first seen during Donald Trump’s presidency relating to abortion and LGBTQ+ content.
Meta told the newspaper that more than half of the accounts highlighted by Repro Uncensored have since been restored.