Content moderation strategies for tackling terrorist and violent extremist content (TVEC): A comparative case study analysis of Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

• In Event: Artificial Intelligence and crime prevention tools

Abstract

This literature review paper will analyse the content moderation policies and strategies of three major social media companies, namely Facebook, YouTube and Twitter in the past 5 years and will assess the different practices employed by these different platforms. The paper will address definitional issues regarding TVEC across platforms as well as human and artificial intelligence/machine learning moderation. More specifically, the paper will analyse concerns relating to the lack of definitional homogeneity and consistency across platforms, the impact of content moderation practices on human moderators and the role of automated, algorithm-based content moderation focusing mainly on efficiency, bias and transparency issues impacting civil liberties and counter-terrorism efforts.
Finally the paper will discuss the future of such policies and practices as impacted by the new EU Digital Services Act and the UK Online Safety Bill, but also the acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk and the development of strong multistakeholder initiatives such as the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism and the Christchurch Call.

Authors

• Vasileios Karagiannopoulos, University of Portsmouth

• Anda Iulia Solea, University of Portsmouth