Joint Open Letter: Calling for Action Against Online Misogyny

Misogyny online is not just a problem - it is a crisis. Every day, women and girls face harassment, abuse, and discrimination across digital spaces.  

From social media platforms to gaming communities, professional networks to content-sharing sites, misogynistic behaviour is pervasive, harmful, and deeply entrenched. According to a recent study by Team Lewis in support of HeForShe, 80% of Gen Z and 76% of Millennials are concerned about sexist rhetoric on social media. This concern is reflected in the finding that over a third of all respondents support stronger content moderation on social media platforms.  

The 2025 International Women’s Day theme: For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment. underscores the urgency of tackling this issue. Setbacks in policies and social attitudes threaten to undo decades of progress toward gender equality.  

Meanwhile, online misogyny is surging, with digital spaces becoming increasingly hostile to women. Algorithms amplify harmful content, and misogynistic rhetoric spreads unchecked, affecting not just individuals but society as a whole. 

As HeForShe Champions/Advocates, representing leaders from diverse industries, we cannot stand by while online spaces become breeding grounds for misogyny. However, this is not an issue that can be solved by advocacy alone.  

We therefore call on governments, policymakers, and technology companies to take immediate and decisive action to address online misogyny and ensure digital platforms are safe, inclusive spaces for all. 

A Five-Point Plan for Change: 

1. Stronger Policies & Enforcement – Digital platforms must implement and enforce clear policies that explicitly prohibit misogynistic abuse and gender-based harassment. Companies must also be held accountable for ensuring these policies are effectively applied, including through better content moderation and enforcement mechanisms. 

2. Governance & Risk Assessment for Online Safety – Companies must integrate governance and accountability measures that address gender-based harm and conduct risk assessments focused on the safety of women and girls. 

3. Transparency & Platform Accountability – Social media platforms must publish regular transparency reports detailing misogynistic content trends, enforcement actions, and the effectiveness of their moderation policies to ensure greater accountability.  

4. Stronger Legal & Regulatory Frameworks – Current legislation does not go far enough. Governments must expand existing laws to explicitly cover gender-based hate speech and ensure that regulatory bodies have the authority to hold platforms accountable for hosting and promoting misogynistic content. 

5. Education & Digital Literacy Initiatives – Governments, educators, and civil society must work together to implement digital literacy programs in schools, ensuring that young people understand the dangers of online misogyny, toxic masculinity, and gender inequality, and can challenge harmful narratives from an early age. 

The reality is stark: without decisive action, online misogyny will continue to silence women, exclude them from public spaces, and roll back progress on gender equality.  

We call on all technology companies, policymakers, and regulators to take responsibility for this urgent crisis. Now is the time to act. 

Signed,  

HeForShe Champion Joakim Reiter, Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer, Vodafone Group  

HeForShe Champion Jonathan Price, President and CEO, Teck Resources   

HeForShe Champion UK Policing, Jeremy Vaughan, Chief Constable, South Wales Police  

“I am joining other HeForShe Champions in a collective call to action against online misogyny. We must work together to stop the online misogyny crisis and the increasing number of hostile online spaces for women.” 

HeForShe Champion David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee