Session
Organizer 1: Brown Annie, University of California San Diego
Speaker 1: Haanyama Mazuba, Private Sector, African Group
Speaker 2: Whitt Richard, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Elefante Val, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 4: Alaso Olivia, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 5: Brown Annie, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Elefante Val, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Brown Annie, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Brown Annie, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Panel - Auditorium - 60 Min
How can platforms be encouraged to disclose moderation practices?
What is needed to enable Big Tech to formally recognize shadowbanning as a practice?
How can policy bring about moderation equity online?
What is the role of participatory moderation in the future of social media platforms?
Connection with previous Messages: The Center for Democracy and Technology, recently found substantial evidence of censorship on major social media platforms of marginalized groups including people who are transgender and/or nonbinary, LGBQIA+1, BIPOC2, disabled, sex workers, and/or sex educators. Instagram disproportionately censored people in each of these marginalized groups by removing their content more frequently as compared with people who did not hold these marginalized identities. Additionally, studies have also found that bias encoded into the algorithms that moderate online content are more likely to flag content shared by women.
Although this is a well documented phenomena, shadow banning remains unregulated, unrecognized and under-discussed, especially when it comes to it's impacts on human rights and freedoms of self-expression globally. An open and honest discussion of shadowbanning must be included in this year's IGF schedule in order for participants to have a clear picture of the practices that are preventing the Internet from being an equitable experience for all. In this panel, we will not only educate the audience on the topic, but also discuss solutions to ensure persons of all backgrounds to experience the Internet without fear of harassment or discrimination.
5. Gender Equality
Targets: The selection tool would not allow me to select multiple SDGs on my browser, but I have listed all that apply below with explanation.
5.1
End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere - Studies have found that bias encoded into the algorithms that moderate online content are more likely to flag content shared by women, limiting their ability to express themselves and exist online without discrimination.
5.b
Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women - See above.
10.2
By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status - The Center for Democracy and Technology, recently found substantial evidence of censorship on major social media platforms of marginalized groups including people who are transgender and/or nonbinary, LGBQIA+1, BIPOC2, disabled, sex workers, and/or sex educators. Instagram disproportionately censored people in each of these marginalized groups by removing their content more frequently as compared with people who did not hold these marginalized identities.
10.3
Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard - See above.
Description:
Shadowbanning is an unregulated, harmful phenomenon that negatively impacts the ability for marginalized Internet users to express themselves freely. In order to provide for a future where persons of all backgrounds are able to experience the Internet without fear of being unfairly silenced, the very real practice of shadowbanning must be discussed and addressed.
In this workshop, participants will hear from a panel of experts on the shadowbanning phenomena, as well as users who have experienced shadowbanning firsthand. After attending this session, participants will be educated on the topic of shadowbanning, as well as understand what needs to be done from an organization and government perspective to ensure the continued presence of marginalized voices online.
Hybrid Format: - How will you facilitate interaction between onsite and online speakers and attendees? Our in-person moderator will direct onsite questions to online speakers. Additionally, as I have organized many hybrid events in the past, I will also be able to bring on experienced assistance to field questions from online participants to onsite speakers.
- How will you design the session to ensure the best possible experience for online and onsite participants? Our panel will be truly hybrid in that we will have onsite and online speakers, and have onboarded hybrid event assistance to ensure the online audience is engaged. This includes sharing relevant links with online attendees in real-time, as well as asking online attendees to share their questions as they come up in chat to be captured in a document for answering at the end of the session. Also, online attendees will be given prompts in the chat to share their experiences/views on shadowbanning which will be captured in the session summary.
- Please note any complementary online tools/platforms you plan to use to increase participation and interaction during the session. Chat, Miro (to capture ideas and share with group afterwards in session summary), Google Docs
Usage of IGF Official Tool.