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Series Editors
Mehtab Khan and Brianna Yang

Series Director
Jack Balkin

Series Coordinator
Chinmayi Arun

Previous Coordinator
Nikolas Guggenberger

Introducing an ISP-WIII essay series exploring the terms and concepts that constitute Platform Governance.


Platform Governance refers to the policy, technical, and design decisions impacting a global network of internet users. However, there is presently no single source bringing together the diverse perspectives on the terminology used in Platform Governance. Terms like 'online harm, and 'terrorist content' are difficult to define and regulate. Words like 'engagement' and 'amplification' serve as euphemisms for features that have had a significant impact on democracy and human rights. There are many different stakeholders involved in shaping these terms, such as governments, companies, courts, civil society, and academics, but often not in coherence. The terms constituting Platform Governance engage with power dynamics and cultural interpretations to create and perpetuate certain technical, political, and legal approaches. This is why a shared understanding is needed to connect the diverse understandings of Platform Governance. 

The Platform Governance Terminologies Essay Series brings together scholars from a variety of backgrounds to contribute critical thinking in this area. This Essay Series introduces a selection of key terms and concepts in Platform Governance. It aims to provide academics, civil society, and platforms a forum to learn about and discuss the challenges to defining and understanding platform governance, to confront core assumptions about the scope of key terms, and to propose ways to align diverse approaches to these terms. 

 

Mehtab Khan, Program Director — Wikimedia Initiative on Intermediaries and Information

Essays


“Community” in the Digital Realm

Matías González & Emiliano Vitaliani

Sept 12, 2023

 

Civil Rights

Jeeyun (Sophia) Baik & Hamsini Sridharan

Sept 12, 2023

 

Sunsetting “ Shadowbanning”

By Gabriel Nicholas

July 16, 2023

 

Content Monetization

By Giovanni De Gregorio & Catalina Goanta

July 16, 2023

 

Translation

By Fan Yang

July 17, 2023

 

Online Harm

By Louisa Bartolo and Ariadna Matamoros-Fernandez

June 27, 2023

 

Platform-Related Harms

By Jordan Famularo

June 28, 2023

 

Trusted Flaggers

by Naomi Appleman and Paddy Leerssen

July 12, 2022

 

Reduction

by Tarleton Gillespie

July 20, 2022

 

Stakeholders

by Robert Gorwa

Aug 2, 2022

 

Experts

by Amre Metwally

Aug 12, 2022

 

Networked Governance

by Robyn Caplan

Aug 29, 2022