CNN Tech’s Laurie Segall chatted with GLAAD’s Chief Digital Officer, Jim Halloran, about GLAAD’s new work to combat anti-LGBTQ and alt-right leaders online as well as the organization’s continued mission to push for safe inclusion of LGBTQ people across social media platforms.

As Halloran mentioned to CNN, “digital rights are LGBTQ rights.”

Technology provides a lifeline for LGBTQ people by helping form community, access vital resources, and see positive role models. For years, GLAAD has lead initiatives to increase LGBTQ inclusion in digital spaces. GLAAD worked with Tinder to make the platform safe for trans users, with Facebook to expand gender options in profiles, and Symantec to allow equal access to LGBTQ resources. In addition, GLAAD sits on advisory councils for both Facebook and Twitter.

Digital rights are LGBTQ rights

But recently news outlets have reported that LGBTQ content is being inadvertently blocked on social platforms. And, the alt-right has launched new organizing efforts across tech platforms.

GLAAD has expanded our work to preserve the digital lifeline for LGBTQ people and also launched a new program to combat the alt-right online. We’ve leveraged Twitter to advocate for gay men in Chechnya, worked with tech giants like YouTube to unblock LGBTQ content, gone head to head with the alt-right online, and spoken out against dangerous artificial intelligence. 

You can be a part of this work by following GLAAD on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.