69 Articles
7 Experts on Trump’s Call for Protests and Social Media Threat Models
Comparing expert analyses of the threat of domestic extremist violence with assessments by social media platforms.
Two Supreme Court Cases Could “Break the Internet”: What Role Should Free Speech Play?
Instead of demonstrating eagerness to reconsider Section 230, the Justices appeared unsure about how exactly the law should be interpreted.
Mapping the Key Arguments in Supreme Court Amicus Briefs in Gonzalez v. Google
Cross-published at Tech Policy Press. In late February, the Supreme Court will hold oral arguments to consider the Communications Decency Act’s Section 230, which shields tech…
It’s Past Time to Take Social Media Content Moderation In-House
Editor’s Note: This essay is co-published with Tech Policy Press. Barrett is the deputy director of the NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights, where he writes about…
The Limits of What Gov’t Can Do About Jan. 6th Committee’s Social Media and Extremism Findings
Professor Barrett writes that the First Amendment constrains the U.S. government policy options, and solutions to the problems identified need to be found elsewhere.
Insiders’ View of the January 6th Committee’s Social Media Investigation
Former investigators from the January 6th Select Committee's Purple Team discuss their assessments.
More Turbulence Ahead for Twitter as the EU’s Digital Services Act Tests Musk’s Vision
Much depends on how social media platforms interpret their obligations under the new regulation, and how EU authorities enforce it.
Twitter, Elon, Ye, and the “Lex Platformia” – Emergent Rules for Governing Social Media
An emerging set of rules that apply to public expression on platforms hosting content could ensure that necessary democratic safeguards are securely in place.
Dawning Digital Data Access via New EU Law
The EU Digital Service Act offers hope for increased data access for researchers that can help counter disinformation.
Whistleblower Documents Show Problems in Twitter’s Handling of ‘Election Integrity’
Insights into how Twitter appears unprepared to handle "election integrity" issues in U.S. and globally. Plus what happened with Jan. 6 and 2020 elections.
Banning Content Platforms is Not a Solution to Hate Speech on the Internet, Even When the Platform is Meta
Governments should recognize that pulling the plug on the internet – or on an entire social media platform – is not a viable solution to the spread of hate speech or misinformation…
The Existential Threat of AI-Enhanced Disinformation Operations
As AI capabilities improve, they will become increasingly effective tools for manipulating and fooling humans - with political, social, and epistemological consequences.