Living with Risk: LGBTQ+ Cybersecurity & Online Safety

As online harassment, doxxing, and misinformation campaigns grow more common, LGBTQ+ users remain uniquely vulnerable.

Our ctrl+alt+lgbt polling shows that 73% of LGBTQ+ adults worry about their ability to protect themselves online. For transgender adults, that number rises to 84%. These concerns go beyond general online safety: 72% are specifically worried about data privacy tied to their LGBTQ+ identity, and more than half (55%) fear the risk of being outed without their consent.

Cybersecurity Strategies Online (1).pdf

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Lived Experiences of Harassment and Misinformation

Behind the statistics are lived experiences of hostility. Two‑thirds (68%) of LGBTQ+ adults have faced online harassment, and nearly half report it happens frequently. Transgender adults report even starker realities: 90% have been harassed online, with nearly three‑quarters experiencing it often.

Misinformation is also a constant threat. A majority of LGBTQ+ adults (51%) have seen false or misleading claims from public figures, while nearly one‑third have even seen it spread by family or friends. For transgender respondents, the numbers are higher still: 79% have encountered misinformation from public figures, and 41% from those closer to home.

Community Responses and Strategies

Despite these challenges, LGBTQ+ users are not passive in the face of digital risk. Many are taking proactive steps to safeguard themselves.

Over half (55%) limit the personal information they share online, and nearly half (47%) rely on two‑factor authentication to protect their accounts. Significant numbers also report harmful content (42%) or accounts (40%) when harassment or misinformation occurs. A growing segment, 35% overall and more than half of transgender respondents, are seeking out resources on safety and cybersecurity practices to better defend themselves.

The findings highlight a critical tension: LGBTQ+ adults are acutely aware of online threats and are taking protective steps, but the burden of safety is falling on individuals rather than the platforms. The data makes clear that online spaces remain dangerous and exhausting for LGBTQ+ people, particularly for transgender adults. Stronger protections, more responsive reporting systems, and platform accountability are urgently needed.

You can further explore these and other findings in our full 2025 report: ctrl+alt+lgbt: Digital Access, Usage, and Experiences of the LGBTQ+ Community.