Reddit Removes Millions of Pro-Trump Posts. But Advertisers, Not Values, Rule the Day
Reddit Removes Millions of Pro-Trump Posts. But Advertisers, Not Values, Rule the Day
Simon Copland and Jenny Davis
Content moderation is a critical issue for social media platforms in the face of international debates about freedom of expression as it abuts misinformation, violence, and harassment. Reddit has traditionally maintained loose moderation policies, which makes its sudden removal of entire sub-communities notable and significant. This essay examines the implications of Reddit's actions, with a focus on information governance. Specifically, the authors argue for legal standards that treat social media platforms as media companies, rather than mere publishing platforms. Such measures are crucial to avoid governance at the hands of corporate bodies whose incentives and motivations are profit focused.
This article is published in The Conversation.
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