From Woodstock to TikTok: Sex, Drugs and Social Media Censorship

Gen Z is the first generation to be "born digital," but the online social platforms they're using rely on systems conceived and built by Gen X and Millennials over the past 20 years, and the decisions about policies and content moderation procedures are largely made by older generations. Unlike with television and radio, those creating rules for social platforms may have never interacted with the social technologies they seek to police. As ideologically-motivated individuals in power seek to put their own stamp of approval on what constitutes legitimate discourse and appropriate speech, who should decide what falls within the boundaries of acceptability? This talk will discuss how shifting cultural norms impact intergenerational content policing.

This question has profound consequences for the internet and digital society going forward. An increasing number of governments, from the US to Indonesia, Uganda to the UK, have proffered new restrictions on social media that will undoubtedly impact young people.

This programme session is supported by Stiftung Mercator. / Dieser Programmpunkt wird durch die Stiftung Mercator unterstützt.