After 45 mourning families, youth advocates, and child safety professionals delivered 600 roses along with a petition featuring over 10,000 signatures to Meta’s New York headquarters, urging for more robust protections for children online, security promptly removed the flowers. It served as a powerful symbol — a reminder of how Meta continually disregards the narratives of those affected by its platforms.

As a teenager, explicit photos of me were shared on Facebook without my consent. This was followed by a flood of sexual harassment — threats, name-calling, and dehumanizing messages overwhelmed my inbox. I reported the abuse, but the platform’s reaction was either nonexistent or dismissive. It became evident: safeguarding users, particularly young ones, was not Meta’s concern.

The trauma extended beyond the online realm. It trailed me into classrooms, therapy appointments, and sleepless nights. I finished high school burdened with anxiety, suicidal ideation, and profound isolation. I endured. Yet many others did not. Mason Edens, Selena Rodriguez, Riley Rodee — these are merely a handful of the young individuals who took their lives following experiences of online abuse and exposure to harmful material.

This is why the recent ruling by Meta’s Oversight Board to permit two anti-trans videos to remain online is so distressing. These videos misgender and devalue transgender people — one depicts a trans woman facing harassment for using a women’s restroom, while the other ridicules a trans athlete’s success. By allowing these to stay, Meta isn’t merely neglecting to safeguard users — it is endorsing the very kind of harm I once pleaded with them to prevent. This time, the focus is on the trans community.

This issue transcends algorithms or policy gaps. It concerns lives. Meta made a choice: to favor hate over humanity. They chose incorrectly.

These videos do more than offend — they pose a danger. They rob trans individuals of their dignity, propagate misinformation, and incite real-world violence. Yet Meta defends them under the pretext of “free expression.” Even more concerning, the company removed the same videos when shared by its accounts but permitted them to remain when uploaded by others. That’s not moderation — that’s hypocrisy.

Trans existence should not be a matter for debate. We exist, and we are entitled to safety. Treating our lives as a political issue validates hate. Meta is aware of this — yet they continue to look away.

My experience isn’t unique. It occurs daily to young people, particularly those who are queer, trans, and nonbinary. LGBTQ+ minors are three times more likely to encounter unsafe or unwanted online interactions. Yet the platforms that claim to foster connection continue to perpetuate cruelty.

I once believed my ordeal was an outlier. But I’ve encountered numerous survivors whose experiences reflect my own. Some have had their images stolen and disseminated. Some lost their children to suicide driven by sextortion. Some were exploited by AI. Others received death threats after coming out.

This is why the Oversight Board’s decision is so perilous. It’s not merely that Meta is permitting anti-trans hate — it’s that they have done so repeatedly, despite years of warnings, reports, and distress. They have chosen inaction.

Hate does not exist in isolation. It proliferates when granted a platform. And when that platform is one of the most influential tech companies globally, hate becomes more potent. I have felt its sting.

In January 2025, Meta made a subtle yet devastating change. They reduced their human content moderation teams, relied on flawed AI systems, and severed ties with fact-checkers and safety specialists. This wasn’t a mistake — it was a strategy. A strategy to cut expenses and minimize liability, all while branding it as “innovation.” But what Meta terms efficiency comes at the expense of safety, truth, and lives.

The Oversight Board’s decision isn’t a singular failure. It is a manifestation of Meta’s intentional withdrawal from accountability. They aren’t merely enabling harm — they are creating systems that amplify it.

I have experienced the aftermath of that harm. I know what it appears like when platforms neglect their responsibility for protection. Meta’s current trajectory is not only unethical — it’s lethal. That’s why we’re no longer asking. We’re insisting.

We insist that Meta reinstates comprehensive human content moderation, especially concerning hate speech, child sexual abuse material, and targeted harassment. We demand the prompt removal of anti-trans content and tangible repercussions for those who disseminate it. We call for transparency, accountability, and leadership that recognizes the harm inflicted.

I survived what Meta allowed to transpire in my life. However, I bear the scars — in my body, in my relationships, in the way I navigate the world. And I know there are other children, just like I once was, logging on today, unaware of what awaits them.

That’s why I am writing this. Not solely as a survivor, but as a witness. To convey: this isn’t theoretical. This isn’t a discussion. This is real — flesh, blood, and breath.