AI and Content Moderation
11/11/2021 6:30 PM in Berlin (Deutschland)
Public pressure on platform companies to more soundly monitor the content on their sites is constantly increasing. To address this, platforms are turning to algorithmic content moderation systems. These systems prioritize content that promises to increase engagement and block content that is deemed illegal or is infringing the platform's own policies and guidelines. But content moderation is a ‘wicked problem’ that raises many questions all of which eschew simple answers. Where is the line between hate speech and freedom of expression – and how to automate and deploy this on a global scale? Are platforms overblocking legitimate content, or are they rather failing to limit illegal speech on their sites?
Within the framework of a ten-week virtual research sprint hosted by the HIIG, thirteen international researchers from various disciplines came together to tackle the challenges posed by automation in content moderation. Their work resulted in policy briefings focused on algorithmic audits and on increasing the transparency and accountability of automated content moderation systems. We warmly invite you to learn more about their findings and attend their output presentations followed by a panel discussion.
Agenda
Opening remarks on the project and the research sprint by research director Wolfgang Schulz and research lead Alexander Pirang
Presentations of the research outputs by the sprint fellows:
- David Morar, guest researcher at George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs, USA
- Aline Iramina, PhD candidate at the University of Glasgow, Great Britain
- Sunimal Mendis, lecturer at the University of Tilburg, Netherlands
Followed by a panel discussion moderated by Jennifer Boone with:
- Angelica Fernandez, fellow of the research sprint and PhD candidate at the University of Luxembourg
- Philipp Otto, founder and director of the iRights.lab
- Matthias Kettemann, associated researcher at the HIIG and scientific lead of the research project ”Regulatory Structures and the Emergence of Rules in Online Spaces” at the Leibniz-Institut für Medienforschung I Hans-Bredow Institut