Moderation of Social Media Content and the Users’ Responsibility for Free Media

• In Event: How Far Do Media and Net Freedom Travel? The Conceptualization and Implication of Communication Freedom in a Transnational News Environment

Abstract

By Dr. Teresa Naab, Assistant Professor, University of Augsburg, Germany

In traditional media, the guarantee of free speech and the control of civil use of this freedom lie in the hands of authorities and professional media producers. In the social media, users gain new opportunities to publicly express their opinions. The huge volume of social media content, its fluidity, transnational diffusion and the anonymity of the communicators, however, impede its regulation. To sustain a deliberate and civil discourse, the users need to take the responsibility to self-moderate social media content. Drawing on a survey of Facebook users, the paper examines individual characteristics that influence people’s attitudes towards censorship of Facebook content. Among others, it is shown that perceived threat of a communicator increases willingness to censor and claims towards Facebook and state authorities to intervene. Opportunities and challenges of user self-regulation for media freedom are discussed.

Author

• Teresa K. Naab, University of Augsburg