EFF: Censorship in Social Media Leaves Users in Frustration

["Dave Farber" <farber () gmail com>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: EFF Press via eff-board <eff-board () eff org>
> Date: November 16, 2016 at 12:01:15 PM EST
> To: <eff-all () eff org>
> Subject: [E-B] EFF: Censorship in Social Media Leaves Users in Frustration
> Reply-To: EFF Press <press () eff org>
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> This is a friendly message from the Electronic Frontier Foundation. View it in a web browser.
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> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016
> Contact:
> Jillian C. York
> Director for International Freedom of Expression
> jillian () eff org
>
> Censorship in Social Media Leaves Users in Frustration
> EFF and Visualizing Impact Analyze Reports of Content Moderation Gone Awry
>
> SAN FRANCISCO, CA - User reports of censorship of social media posts show a deep frustration with companies’ content 
> moderation policies, according to an analysis by Onlinecensorship.org, a project of the Electronic Frontier 
> Foundation (EFF) and Visualizing Impact.
>
> In “Censorship in Context: Insights from Crowdsourced Data on Social Media Censorship,” researchers analyzed reports 
> of content takedowns received from users of Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube from April to November 
> of 2016. At a time when many are asking for more content moderation—like calls for Facebook to crack down on “fake 
> news”—election-related censorship complaints focused on the desire of users to speak their minds and share 
> information about a tight election without worrying that their posts will disappear.
>
> “Social media is where we receive news, debate, and organize. These companies have enormous impact on the public 
> sphere, yet they are still private entities with the ability to curate the information we see and the information we 
> don’t see at their sole discretion,” said Jillian C. York, EFF Director for International Freedom of Expression and 
> co-founder of Onlinecensorship.org. “The user base is what powers these social media tools, yet users are feeling 
> like they don’t have any control or understanding of the system.”
>
> “Censorship in Context” recommends best practices for social media content moderation, including transparency in how 
> company policies are enforced and any available remedies. The researchers also urge strengthening systems of redress 
> when content is removed in error, and doing a better job of educating users about what is acceptable on a given 
> platform and what isn’t.
>
> “Many people depend on Facebook to talk to friends, family, clients, and fans, and to debate the issues of the day,” 
> said Project Strategist Sarah Myers West. “While these companies have the right to set their own rules, the least 
> they can do is to tell everyone how they’re enforced.”
>
> Onlinecensorship.org was launched in November of 2015 to spot trends in content removals and learn how these 
> takedowns impact different communities. The site also includes a guide to appealing a content takedown and hosts a 
> collection of news reports on content moderation practices.
>
> For the full whitepaper:
> https://onlinecensorship.org/news-and-analysis/onlinecensorship-org-launches-second-report-censorship-in-context-pdf
>
> For this release:
> https://www.eff.org/press/releases/censorship-social-media-leaves-users-frustration
>
>  
>
> About EFF
>
> The Electronic Frontier Foundation is the leading organization protecting civil liberties in the digital world. 
> Founded in 1990, we defend free speech online, fight illegal surveillance, promote the rights of digital innovators, 
> and work to ensure that the rights and freedoms we enjoy are enhanced, rather than eroded, as our use of technology 
> grows. EFF is a member-supported organization. Find out more at https://eff.org.
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> Electronic Frontier Foundation, 815 Eddy Street, San Francisco, CA 94109 USA.
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