The row over Section 59 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is reminiscent of a backwater pond that has lain undisturbed for years. Then someone decides to poke a stick in it and all manner of noxious fumes are released. Continue reading
The International Forum for Responsible Media Blog
Category: Social Media (Page 1 of 37)
Hate is a scourge of the Internet, inflicting harm on people who are targeted and – when left unchallenged – raising fundamental questions about social justice and equality. Continue reading
I am a huge fan of transparency about platform content moderation. I’ve considered it a top policy priority for years, and written about it in detail (with Paddy Leerssen, who also wrote this great piece about recommendation algorithms and transparency). I sincerely believe that without it, we are unlikely to correctly diagnose current problems or arrive at wise legal solutions. Continue reading
We’ve known for quite some time that Facebook has a huge say over how online speech and expression are governed. Users have demanded accountability, and as a result the company created the Facebook Oversight Board to review and provide transparency about its content moderation decisions. Continue reading
The Government of India has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (the “Rules”) on February 25, 2021 under the Information Technology Act, 2000 (“IT Act”) applicable to internet intermediaries, social media intermediaries, publishers of news and current affairs content and online curated content (defined to mean curated catalogue of audio-visual content owned by, licensed to or contracted to be transmitted by a publisher and made available on demand). Continue reading
Facebook’s recent decision to block its Australian users from sharing or viewing news content provoked a worldwide backlash and accusations of hubris and bullying. Although the company has now reversed its decision following an agreement with the Australian government, the row has exposed the fragility of Facebook’s founding myth: that Mark Zuckerberg’s brainchild is a force for good, providing a public space for people to connect, converse and cooperate. Continue reading
One of the many unfortunate side effects of life in lockdown has been an increase in online abuse, with police, cybersecurity firms and charities alike reporting an increase in online stalking and harassment, as well as a surge in cases of revenge porn. Continue reading
“Why don’t you kill yourself?” “Better go into hiding”. “I’d pop her on a bonfire”. “We need to get rid of these people”. “Shut her up”. “People like this needs a proper slap – enough to clatter the teeth”. “Years ago she would have been burned at the stake”. “This needs to stop – and forcefully if necessary”. “Bring back hanging”. “How about a trip to the gulag?” “Looks J’ish to me”. “Noose”. Continue reading
In her recent keynote at the European Parliament’s Panel for the Future of Science and Technology, Harvard Business School Professor Emerita Shoshana Zuboff shared her insight from years of research on the profit-driven business models of online platforms that capitalise on behavioural data. Continue reading
The year 2021 will see the introduction of new regulatory institutions and regimes for digital platforms. In the UK, the Digital Markets Unit (DMU) was announced in late 2020. Meanwhile on the continent, a similar proposal is in the legislative pipeline in Germany with the amendment to the General Competition Act (GWB) and the EU Commission has laid out its own plans for tackling platform dominance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Continue reading
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