The infrastructure for moderating social media is primarily organised by tech companies, privileged moderators (trusted flaggers), and volunteers. This infrastructure is now under pressure: social media companies are disbanding or scaling back their moderation teams, volunteer burnout is increasing, and forums for public influence — such as trust and safety councils — are either being dissolved or lack the mandate to make a real difference.
What role could public and civic organisations play in moderation? As societal intermediaries, they represent the interests of different publics. What moderation tasks could they take on, and what would they need to do so effectively?
In this workshop, participants will explore the possibilities of moderation across different social media platforms, including the Open Social Web. Drawing on a recent report by Waag Futurelab ("De Opkomst van Maatschappelijke Moderatie"), participants will examine concrete moderation tasks and what is needed to carry them out. The workshop is open to everyone, but particularly welcomes representatives of public and civic organisations.