Gypsy Rose Blanchard Fights Cyberbullying After Partner's Death

Gypsy-Rose Blanchard is championing a new initiative for stronger online safety regulations, spurred by the recent death of her partner, Ken Urker.

Blanchard has initiated a Change.org petition proposing "Kenan's Law" in memory of Urker, the father of her daughter. She highlighted their shared experience of reporting extensive online harassment targeting Urker across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Reddit.

She contends that social media platforms often fail to address online abuse effectively because they consider individual incidents rather than patterns of harassment. Blanchard is advocating for enhanced procedures for major platforms to handle repeated reports of online harassment.

Her specific proposals include implementing pattern-based reporting, ensuring human review of automated moderation decisions, and establishing meaningful appeal processes for moderation outcomes. She emphasized that while free speech is important, there must be a clear distinction between criticism and sustained conduct violating safety policies.

Blanchard, who herself experienced abuse from her mother, Clauddine "Dee Dee" Blanchard, noted that public figures are not the only victims of online targeting. She stressed that the current systems are insufficient and called for legislative action to improve them.

As of the current date, Blanchard's petition has accumulated more than 2,400 signatures, signifying a growing concern for online safety.