POL106 Wk8: Social Media Governance and (Un)accountability

How well has self-regulation been working? Give an example.

Self-regulation has largely failed to address the harms proliferating on platforms. For example, smartphone and social media use among teenagers relates to an increase in mental distress, self-harming behaviors, and suicidality. Following Trump’s re-election, Meta’s Oversight Board has also been criticized for “shifting towards a more permissive stance on harmful or discriminatory expression”

What is the new consensus emerging among policymakers, companies, and civil societal actors?

Self-regulation has to move towards co-regulation

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