Right now, many women and girls across the country – especially young women – are finding it harder than ever to access honest, medically accurate information about their own bodies. Social media platforms increasingly bury or block content that talks about “periods,” “vagina,” “menopause,” “endometriosis” or other legitimate women’s health topics. This is not a technical glitch, or lack of interest in such topics – it is a form of digital discrimination.
Recently, I brought together activists and parliamentarians to understand the scale of this new iteration of an age-old problem and to seek solutions. The Big Tech companies – TikTok, Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram), Google, and X – are all aware of this issue. We must make them understand the damage it is doing and urge them to fix it.
A powerful contribution to our understanding of this problem comes from Essity – their 2025 “Ban the Ban” survey found that a large share of users aged 18–34 use social media for health education, yet many – especially 18–24 year olds -find it hard to locate women’s-health information.
The consequences are real. As shown by campaigners including CensHERship, 95 per cent of women’s-health content creators, charities or educators say they have experienced censorship over the past year – from reach-restriction or removal of posts to ad-/account suspensions.
This isn’t a small barrier – it’s a serious threat to public health, equity and access to vital information. When accurate medical content is suppressed, space is left open for misinformation, unsafe advice and profiteers. It also undermines women’s health charities and fem-tech businesses relying on social media reach to survive.
This must change. It is unacceptable that platforms treat medically accurate discussion of the female body as if it were obscene or taboo. I am committed to working with colleagues, campaigners, and regulators to force Big Tech to explain and reform their moderation practices. Platforms have the tools and resources – what they lack is the will.
We must demand transparency, fair moderation standards, and clear appeal mechanisms. Women and girls deserve to access trustworthy information about their own bodies. And we must not allow social media to become a gatekeeper limiting their right to learn.
Because at its core, this isn’t just about social media policy – it’s about respect, equity and the right to health.
Read my full article piece here: ‘Big Tech sexism must end’ – LabourList