2025 Social Media Safety Index

2025 Social Media Safety Index Platform Scorecard

The 2025 SMSI Platform Scorecard consists of 14 indicators that draw on best practices from the Ranking Digital Rights (RDR) Big Tech Scorecard, the highly-respected evaluation of the world’s most powerful digital platforms on their policies and practices affecting people’s rights to freedom of expression and privacy. All evaluations are conducted looking at the public-facing policies of each platform. While results have global implications for LGBTQ safety, privacy, and expression online, our analysis is based on the English-language versions of public-facing policies and documents covering the U.S. market. Additional methodology information is available in the Research Guidance. The full list of indicators and elements used in the evaluation process is available here. Please also see the important contextual note about the 2025 Platform Scorecard and Methodology Changes.

The Platform Scorecard evaluates six major social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and Threads (whose parent company is Meta); TikTok (parent company: ByteDance); YouTube (parent company: Alphabet/Google), and X.

Immigration Inequality Resource Kit

Following the reintroduction of the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) in Congress on May 8, GLAAD calls on journalists to explore the real life consequences of discriminatory immigration policies on LGBT- and HIV-positive people and their families.

The Angie Zapata Murder: Violence Against Transgender People Resource Kit

On April 14, 2009, the two-week trial for the murder of Angie Zapata—an 18-year-old transgender woman—began in Greeley, Colo and ended with her murderer convicted of a hate crime.

Transgender Day of Remembrance Resource Kit for Journalists

Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors the memory of those murdered because of anti-transgender prejudice, is recognized annually on November 20. GLAAD encourages journalists to mark the occasion with stories about the pervasive problem of crimes against transgender people, as well as the diversity and resilience of the community in the face of harassment and violence.

Diwali Resource Kit for Journalists

Every year, the South Asian community comes together to celebrate Diwali, a massively popular worldwide event that has a rich complexity in belief and meaning. Also known as the “Festival of Lights,” it signals the New Year while for others, it represents a time for reflection and renewal.