At their best, digital platforms like social media can spark conversations, form new communities, and inform the public. But a lack of regulation and accountability has led to online spaces that put profit before people. Social media companies have collected our private data and used it against us to amplify hate and discrimination, targeted directly at Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), and people who identify as women or nonbinary.

To combat this reality, we support BIPOC movements and leadership working to hold tech platforms accountable through public pressure, policy change, and lawsuits. Our goal is a more welcoming, inclusive internet that’s safe and secure for all people. With a safer internet, there will be less voter suppression, less misinformation, and less racist rhetoric.

The Civil and Human Rights Online Initiative invests in:

• Litigation to address violations of civil and human rights online
• Coalition building and public awareness campaigns that advocate for change
• Resources to support BIPOC communities impacted by online threats and harassment

We adhere to a strict policy preserving the editorial independence of all our journalism grantees. In the instance of a grantee approaching a member of our staff for comment, we require them to go through our communications team — not a program officer — and we alert the reporter of the funding relationship. We also request that if they quote a member of our team they disclose our funding of their organization in any story produced.

In addition, the Democracy Fund communications staff does not send pitches to the nonprofit newsrooms we support, and we include language in our grant agreements that we won’t discuss editorial content with journalism grantees or otherwise seek to influence their coverage. However, we may alert newsroom leadership of Democracy Fund developments and news in the course of regular engagement with grantees.