Social Media Has Become More Hostile to Women

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we seek improvements in the world toward gender equality and inclusivity. Sadly, on social media this year, we are seeing the opposite. The rise in “tech bro” culture and content and the reduction in moderation is driving negativity toward women and other marginalized groups.

We’ve spent years watching the digital industry grow and evolve, and frankly, what we’re seeing right now is concerning. The platforms we rely on to build community and grow businesses are being transformed by the decisions of a small but influential group of tech leaders—recently referred to as a “broligarchy”—which includes some of the most visible innovators and entrepreneurs in the world.

Social media acts as a mirror to society, magnifying human behavior. It’s an incredibly powerful global tool that has the ability to shape and inform societal shifts in opinion, and how we behave toward each other in real life. The lack of female tech entrepreneurs and voices of women and marginalized communities in these boardrooms is driving a real power imbalance, exacerbated by recent political events. 

What exactly is the broligarchy?

The term burst into the mainstream last year when The Guardian highlighted how this circle was aligning themselves with Donald Trump. Our own research, alongside data from Talkwalker, shows that mentions of the term “broligarchy” have become much more popular over the past year, with over 248,000 mentions globally across social media. The sentiment? Overwhelmingly negative. And the biggest face of the broligarchy? No surprise, it’s Elon Musk, who dominated the conversation more than 12 times over compared to his tech counterparts.

The values set at the top inevitably shape the spaces we create. And when inclusive, diverse values guide platform policies and algorithms, the positive impact can be felt by everyone. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true.

We are seeing the consequences firsthand. Women—who are the most active users, posters, and trend adopters on social platforms—are often confronted with harassment and misogyny. Our research uncovered sobering figures: Mentions of terms like “feminazi” are up 37% year over year. Gendered slurs like “bitch” have risen 14%. Just as alarmingly, discussions around physically violent language, like “choking women,” climbed 11%.

Women are the builders of online communities—and we deserve better

This is personal for us. As women leading a social agency and parents of teenage children who are highly susceptible to being influenced by these platforms, we are seeing firsthand how quickly the social environment is changing and the impact it’s already having on the people who rely on this space to build meaningful relationships—a high proportion of which is women. 

The numbers speak for themselves. In both the U.S. and U.K., women are more frequent users of Meta platforms than men. More than half (54%) of women report using Facebook or Instagram daily. The very companies benefiting from women’s engagement have an opportunity to make decisions that better support and include them. But we need to act. Now.

What can we do?

As brands, marketers, agencies, and digital leaders, we have both a responsibility and a powerful opportunity to drive meaningful change. It starts with the stories we choose to tell and the voices we choose to amplify.

Every campaign, every partnership, and every influencer collaboration is a chance to prioritize inclusion. If we intentionally seek out creators from marginalized communities and actively spotlight their work, we help reshape the narrative—and the culture—of not only the platforms we rely on but society as a whole. 

But representation alone isn’t enough. We also need to invest in mentorship and leadership programs that empower women to rise within the tech industry. If we want a different future for these platforms, we need to change who’s at the table making decisions. That means supporting initiatives that foster diverse talent within our own organizations and across the broader industry. Let’s lead the way for a women-led platform to succeed! 

At the same time, we need to encourage platforms to be more accountable. When companies roll back their DEI programs and weaken content moderation, we can’t afford to stay silent. Together our voices are powerful—and it’s time we unite to use them. 

Finally, we need to rethink the way we manage our own online communities. If you’re responsible for a brand’s social channels, you’re not just a content creator, you’re a community builder. That means setting clear standards for what’s acceptable in your comment sections, actively moderating conversations, and stepping in when toxicity takes root. If we want to build inclusive spaces, we need to actively shape them, rather than just hoping they’ll evolve on their own. In just eight weeks since Meta announced its decision to replace biased fact-checkers, we have seen a rise in hate-driven and explicit content—imagine where we’ll be eight months from now. 

We know this can feel overwhelming. After all, we’re talking about some of the most powerful people and companies in the world. But we believe in the collective power of community, the very thing these platforms were built on.

We, as marketers, brands, agencies, and creators, can use our influence to lift up the voices that need to be heard and build something brighter and better. What we need now is the will. Together, we can make social better and build a digital future and society where everyone belongs.