Supergroup Red

Working groups 3 and 4

Lightning talk:

Content moderation statement of best practices

Outline

1. WG3: Discussion of the ‘three-tiered’ system for transparency requirements in content moderation
2. WG4: Overview of the ‘three-pronged’ approach to the statement of best practices

WG 3: The ‘three-tiered’ system for transparency requirements in content moderation

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• Transparency requirements for access restrictions and content removals on the services of OSPs.

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• Normative takedown competency should be limited, and if present, explicitly explained what falls within the competency.

• Clear rules on potential contestation of takedown decisions.

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Transparency goals in tier one

Transparency goals in tier two

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• Transparency in internal institutions dealing with takedown notices.

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• Transparency in how takedown notices in each category and each jurisdiction are internally processed.
• How are takedown notices prioritized?
• What part of the takedown decision-making process is automated?
• If a notice is found to be procedurally incorrect what happens next?
• What checks(if any) does the platform apply to verify the substantive aspect of the notice?

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Transparency goals in tier three

• Provide access on decisions, appeals and internal breaches of due process.
• Number of appeals following a first takedown decisions
• Number of confirmation of first decision by origin of takedown requests (i.e. government, trusted-flaggers, users)
• Reasons for overturning or confirming first decision
• Number of breach of due process in first decision-making process

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• Provide statistics on external appeals to emphasize the role of the judiciary in dealing with content moderation.
• Number of litigation in courts or before an administrative body following an appeal at OSP level

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WG 4: The ‘three-pronged’ approach to the statement of best practices

Methodology

• Target Audience and Receptors
• OSPs as target audience
• Users and researchers as receptors

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• Focus
• How much transparency, and to whom?
• Decision making: The process
• Decision: The outcome

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• Deliberations
• Process v. Output transparency
• Retrospect v. real-time transparency?
• Incentives for OSPs alone: transparency illusion?

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(1) General Best Practices

• Phase agnostic
• Information on takedown operations (rules, guidelines)
• Country specific reporting
• Separate reports on different types of TDRs
• Abuse of TDR Procedure
• Researcher access to specific content

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• Similar thought process to WG3

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1. Transparency on TDRs received

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(II) Takedown procedure transparency

(decision-making)

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(III) Post-hoc transparency

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(2) Phased Best Practices

(3) Operational/Practical Best Practices

• Periodicity / format / languages / readability of reports
• Provision of examples
• Use of visuals/charts
• Publishing of metrics used to assess accuracy
• False positives/true positives/false negatives/erroneous decisions not appealed

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