Download the Open Letter as PDF
The European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA) has concluded its open letter campaign calling on Meta to end discriminatory practices against sex workers on its platforms, including Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp.
44 organisations across Europe and beyond, including sex workers’ rights groups, digital rights defenders, feminist networks, and civil society organisations working on freedom of expression and online safety.
This united call to action demands that Meta:
- End the censorship and silencing of sex workers, including wrongful takedowns and algorithmic shadowbanning;
- Stop the discriminatory enforcement of content moderation policies, which disproportionately affect sex workers and adjacent communities;
- Ensure transparent and accessible appeal processes, with human oversight and accountability;
- Create a dedicated area of policy and review focused on sexuality and sex-adjacent content, recognising that current frameworks inadequately address the realities of sex workers and others whose rights are threatened by online governance.
Social media is a vital space for sex workers to earn a living, organise for rights, stay connected with the community and stay safe. Yet increasingly, Meta-owned platforms are contributing to digital exclusion, reinforcing stigma and putting sex workers’ livelihoods and wellbeing at risk.
This campaign emerged from a growing recognition that the specific harms sex workers face have been overlooked in platform governance. Following their invitation to share these concerns more formally, we have now submitted our open letter to the Meta Oversight Board and are seeking meetings with both the Board and other relevant Meta policy bodies.
“Sex workers are experts in our own lives and our own safety. Our communities have long been at the forefront of digital innovation and harm reduction. It’s time for platform governance to respect, rather than erase, our presence online.”
What’s next?
We will keep our community informed about Meta’s response and any upcoming opportunities for dialogue. We remain committed to working with allies to build more equitable, transparent and inclusive digital spaces, for sex workers and for all marginalised communities affected by online discrimination, censorship and surveillance.
How you can help
- Share our campaign updates on social media and ask @Meta @Instagram @WhatsApp @Facebook and @OversightBoard to take action!
- Follow and tag ESWA in your posts
- Engage your networks in discussions around digital rights, free expression, and platform justice.
