Who Bears Responsibility? Students’ Perspectives on the Responsibility to Evaluate and Regulate Social Media Content (Poster 16)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Wednesday 4:20 p.m.
  In Poster Session: Technology, Instruction, Cognition, and Learning (TICL) Poster Session

Abstract

While policymakers and educators have raised alarms about the role of social media in the lives of young people, students may not share these perspectives about their social media use. Through analysis of students’ participation in an activity during a lesson on digital disinformation campaigns, this study explored how students discussed the responsibilities of individuals and social media companies to evaluate and regulate content on social media platforms. In their discussions, students recognized the importance of promoting safety and monitoring users’ speech, but disagreed about who should be responsible for ensuring safety and accurate information on social media platforms. These findings have significance for educational efforts to combat disinformation campaigns on social media.

Author

• Elizabeth Reynolds, University of Maryland