Dec 13, 2021 7:00 AM

Building Safe Networks Makes Social Media Less Toxic

Intimate and curated communities can reset the power imbalances that have long plagued platforms.

In the 15 years of its existence, social media has devolved from a place to keep in touch with friends and family to a breeding ground for toxicity. The majority of social networks are built on the principles of a masculine and privileged economy where likes, comments, shares and followers drive social currency. When platforms exist under this malignant cache of status, they create and promote unsafe spaces for marginalised groups. Next year, the tech industry will take concrete steps to address and correct that imbalance.

For people who are marginalised, social media can feel like being in an abusive relationship. Research conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit has found that 85 per cent of women globally have witnessed online violence against other women (including from outside their networks). For BIPOC people, those in the LGBTQ+ community and other disadvantaged groups, the abuse is often far worse, leading to the silencing of voices and a danger to overall mental wellbeing, which will only continue to increase due to a lack of regulation.

In 2022, we will see the emergence of more safe spaces online for disenfranchised groups. Traditional social networks will finally provide improved reporting and moderation, giving people more control of their experiences online. They will also be joined by curated communities that foster more intimacy, while simultaneously acting as support systems where members feel safe to share personal stories, uplift and help each other feel seen and included.

When we were building Peanut, a social network dedicated to providing a safe space for women online, we reimagined social through the lens of a feminine economy and created a value system based around care, community and safety. By baking these values into the core of our product, we have found that we are able to provide a safe space online which facilitates authentic and meaningful connections across the real-life experiences that unite women. Our ultimate goal has always been motivated by our users. Their desire to be vulnerable, raw and honest has driven us to build something to protect this – free from hate, trolling and doomscrolling. Next year, my hope is that other social networks will follow suit.

To achieve this, the tech community’s journey into more equitable platforms has to begin with redefining social capital, so that empathy and collectivism are valued over individual power and status. As our understanding of the need for safer online spaces increases, social currency will be earned through acts of kindness, adding value to conversations and showing others support in their most vulnerable moments, rather than driven by ad monetisation or data collection.

Tinder has already been doing important work in this area. Rather than insisting that users verify their account by sending in a selfie, for example, it has recognised that some users do not display images of themselves for safety reasons – particularly women and LGTBQ+ people outside of the United States. Its solution has been to allow them to use another form of verification, such as a driving license. In doing this Tinder is creating a network where people can feel safer forming new connections online.

Many vulnerable populations know what it’s like to feel unsafe online. In 2022, we will at last realise the importance of reconfiguring online social capital and involving teams with diverse viewpoints, backgrounds and cultural contexts in the construction of new social networks. That way, by approaching products and tools from the viewpoints of others, tech will be able to build better solutions for all.

Get more expert predictions for the year ahead. The WIRED World in 2022 features intelligence and need-to-know insights sourced from the smartest minds in the WIRED network. Available now on newsstands, as a digital download, or you can order your copy online.