Connor Rees

EXTREMIST CONTENT REMOVAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA: A PROCESS OF CUTTING CORNERS

Abstract

The adoption of social media by online extremists continues to leave users, governments and social media companies on the back foot. The primary mode of regulating extremist content comes in the form of extremism content removal processes. In turn, this leaves users, academics, stakeholders and governments alike asking the right questions in the wrong order for example, how do we make these processes more accurate and effective? However, throughout the course of this dissertation attention is drawn to the right questions i.e., how are these processes conducted and what are the human impacts of these primarily computational solutions. Through considering the regulatory factors that govern these content removal processes, analysing the strengths and limitations of the modes of content removal and consulting social media users who are on the wrong end of the counter-extremism stick.

Drawing from these notions, the research uncovers the understanding that social media companies are provided with little support and are subject to significant sanctions by governments for not removing extremist content in a timely manner. As a result it becomes increasingly clear that respect of human rights, due process and ethical processes are to an extent being neglected to meet these increasing demands. Consequently, the users that social media extremist content removal works to protect is the very things that is causing harm.