Curbing Censorship: The Constitutional Challenges of Addressing Social Media Moderation
At a time when online spaces have become central for news, connection, and the exchange of ideas, the balance between free speech and content moderation is more important than ever. In recent months, there have been rising concerns over potential government censorship and the proliferation of misinformation, especially on social media. The lack of transparency in the tech industry makes this issue uniquely tricky, as each platform’s distinct algorithms are largely proprietary. However, many users feel that their voices are being silenced based on the nature of the content they are releasing. The possibilities for remedying these concerns are limited, as the First Amendment expressly protects private companies from government censorship (including the requirement that they host specific content), but there are several potential paths forward that could have far-reaching implications for the future of social media content moderation.
How Native Advertising is Changing the PR Industry and the Way Corporations Interact with Consumers
Nearly 40% of publishers using native advertising are not compliant with the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) guidelines; this figure has improved from one year ago, when only 30% of users were following the guidelines. In 2017 alone, the FTC estimates that the revenue generated from native advertising will total $20.9 billion, with an estimated 610 new advertisers each month this number is projected to increase to $59 billion in 2018. The number of corporations using native advertising has increased over the years because of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, where much of the in-feed content is paid or sponsored.