Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine has tabled a Bill in the UK Parliament calling for action to tackle online abuse against women and girls, and other minority groups.
Just ahead of International Women’s Day 8 March, the Liberal Democrat presented a bill that would require social media companies to publish new reports detailing what they are doing to address abuse faced by women and girls.
The reports would also cover the other protected characteristics in the Equality Act, including race, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
Ms Jardine called the UK Government’s lack of action on the issue “a dereliction of duty”.
She said: “Social media has made it much easier for people to discuss key issues, but too often debates become toxic, with women bearing the brunt of abusive comments.
“I know from my own experience that social media can turn quickly nasty and have faced waves of personal abuse throughout my time as an MP.
“We must also remember that women from an ethnic minority background, or women with a disability faced much more targeted abuse because of their identity.
“It is outrageous that the Conservative Government’s flagship Bill covering online harms does not mention women even once. This is a total dereliction of their duty to protect all women and girls.
“That is why I have brought this Bill to Parliament, so no woman is left abandoned to the wild west of online abuse any longer.”
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