The free speech section goes on to cover the temporary Instagram suspension of Australia’s own ‘Nude Blogger,’ Google’s latest troubles with open markets proponent Barry Lynn, the increasing silencing of Australia’s public servants under the updated social media guidelines issued by the Australian Public Service Commission, Vladimir Putin, following China’s recent lead, banning virtual private networks in Russia in the ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression, Palestine introducing severe rules, practically amounting to a ban, on social media use, the ongoing questions around the constitutionality of US politicians and public figures blocking critics on social media, and the possibility of social media making a comeback in Iran. Now let’s presume a gay man sees the poster, takes a picture of it, reports it to the police, and then logs on to an LGBTI community group and shares that poster with a safety warning about the area where it has been seen, and a copy of the complaint to the police, so others can use it as a template and report it quicker and easier if they see the same (or similar) poster again.Īdmittedly, the poster is still the same hateful material, but the context has changed significantly.īy deleting that post, Facebook could be responsible for someone missing out on the safety warning, and potentially getting hurt by neo-Nazis as a consequence or, at the very least, slowing down the community’s ability to respond to, and protect itself from, hate and violent threats. Let’s say neo-Nazis put up posters that say ‘Kill all gays.’ If they post a copy of that poster to their Facebook hate group, one would expect that post to be removed, together with any hateful comments and replies, and the persons responsible suspended, or kicked off even. Where Facebook appears to fall down completely is context.īeing a gay man, I’m going to use homophobia as the example. The only two good social media stories of the month follow, one reporting on the people of Houston turning to social media for help in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and finding an entire community ready to band together and help each other, and the tale of a cheeky selfie on a lost mobile phone by a Queensland Constable.įake news makes another return as Facebook continues to struggle with controlling the phenomenon, I introduce you to fake news’ cousin, fake history, and if you thought LinkedIn was still a safe space, this month’s chilling 007-style spy tale is guaranteed to send shivers up your spine.įree speech features prominently again this month, starting with the story of my own Facebook suspension, and my consequent analysis of the problems plaguing the reporting and suspension systems implemented by social media operators. Next I look at a recent book by Lucas Kello, a Senior Lecturer in International Affairs, and the Director of the Centre for Technology and Global Affairs at the University of Oxford, which applies international relations theory to cyber incidents, to develop coherent and practical strategies and benchmarks to help experts to develop workable policies that can be applied to the complex web of geopolitics meeting subterfuge in cyberspace. I follow with a brief look at the spending on social media by Australian politicians, the art of so-called ‘dark-ads’ on Facebook, most often used to try to influence opinions for political purposes, the underground sale of Instagram verifications, and that Google ‘diversity’ memo, which has caused a global stir when a senior engineer penned a manifesto explaining women’s ‘biological incompatibility’ with working in the technology industry … Yes, he did … This month I devote a significant portion of this round-up to the recent tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the role social media played, and continues to play, in the events, culturally, politically, and socially, followed by a quick look at the latest attempt in Australia to prevent online radicalisation and abuse. I also endured my first ever social media suspension after Facebook locked me out for 24 hours after a spurious report in respect of two of my posts, and a grievous misapplication of Facebook’s Community Standards, but more on that below. August has been a truly bad month when it comes to racism and sexism in the news, and of course inevitably on social media, the medium being a mere reflection of reality, perhaps slightly amplified given its 24/7, viral nature.
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