Albion College CS 261 Fall 2020



CS 261	Computers, the User and Society	Fall 2020

Paper 7 - Free speech and social Media

Background

One goal of social media platforms is to allow users to develop communities of like-minded people. In many cases, the social media platform dictates the platform's community standards. The platforms claim these community standards are good because they help foster an environment where people are less likely to be offended. One criticism of these standards is that they limit free speech.

Assignment

Write a 750-1000 word paper discussing this issue. Summarize the community standards of your favorite social media site. What are the positive aspects of their community standards? What are the negative aspects of their community standards? Are these community standards good?

Base your paper on our class discussions, material in our text, and the resources below. Additional references can be used and should be appropriately cited.

Grading Rubric

Grade Element	Point Assessment
Overview of community standards	20
positives and negatives	60
Decision	20
Mechanics and Writing Include your name and a title for your paper. Your paper must a PDF with a 10-12 point font, a professional font face, and 1-1.5" margins. Your paper should be free of typos and grammatical errors. Your paper should be well organized and enjoyable to read.	10
Total	100

Deliverables

Email me a copy of your paper as a PDF.

References

Facebook Community Standards
YouTube Community Standards
The Twitter Rules
Social Networking and Ethics from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
In the Age of Social Media, Expand the Reach of the First Amendment by David L. Hudson, Jr.. American Bar Association.
Government Social Media Blocking from EFF.
Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship Issued on May 28, 2020.
Regulating free speech on social media is dangerous and futile by Niam Yaraghi, Brookings Institute, September 21, 2018.
Social Media and Free Speech, CSPAN panel discussion, 2020.