1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to protect transgender constituents from coordinated online harassment campaigns that are destroying lives and livelihoods in your district. Organized groups are targeting trans individuals, particularly trans women with any social media following, through mass reporting campaigns that falsely label them as "pedophiles" with zero evidence. These coordinated attacks result in immediate account deletions by social media platforms, erasing decades of creative work, writing, friendships, and personal history with no opportunity to recover the data. Beyond losing their online presence, victims are losing their jobs and being cut off from family members as these smear campaigns spread. The term "pedophile" is being weaponized as a political tool to silence dissent and marginalize vulnerable people. Many Americans don't realize they're being manipulated into participating in these attacks, which serve a broader agenda of discrimination and erasure. For trans individuals who face barriers to in-person community participation, online spaces often represent their primary means of self-expression and connection. When those spaces are destroyed without warning or recourse, the impact is devastating. I ask you to take three specific actions. First, call for congressional investigation into these coordinated harassment campaigns targeting trans individuals on social media platforms. Second, support legislation requiring social media companies to provide a mandatory grace period for users to download their data before account deletion, particularly when accounts are removed due to mass reporting. Third, publicly condemn the use of false accusations as a political weapon against transgender people. Trans constituents in your district are living in constant fear of losing their employment, housing, and family relationships due to these organized attacks. They deserve the same protections and dignity as any other constituent. I urge you to stand with this vulnerable community and take concrete action to address this crisis.