Digital Wildfire – managing the spread of harmful content on social media

In 2013 a World Economic Forum (WEF) report positioned social media as a threat to global security. The report describes the status of hyperconnectivity created through the contemporary popularity of platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter as a risk factor for ‘digital wildfires’ in which misleading, antagonistic or provocative content spreads rapidly and causes serious harm. This content may take the form of a rumour, false information, hate speech, or a malicious campaign against others. When it spreads rapidly it can damage the reputation and well-being of individuals, groups and entire communities. The WEF report argues that the prevalence and potential seriousness of digital wildfires mean it is necessary to consider how the potential harms caused by social media content can be managed, prevented and limited. A central practical and ethical question is: how can the prevention of harm be balanced with rights to freedom of speech?

In this seminar Professor Marina Jirotka reports on the findings of a research project she has been leading that investigates the issues raised by the WEF report. The ‘Digital Wildfire’ project combines computer science, social science and computer ethics, and seeks to establish an empirically grounded methodology for the study and advancement of the responsible governance of social media. Marina will discuss findings arising from the analysis of social media datasets plus interviews and surveys with key stakeholders such as legislators, the police, civil liberties groups, anti-harassment organisations, and educators. These findings illustrate potential mechanisms through which the rapid spread of harmful content on social media might be responsibly addressed – in particular highlighting the value of education, engagement and user self-governance online.

Marina will also briefly describe how the Digital Wildfire project fits into the wider work of the Human Centred Computing (HCC) group at Oxford. The HCC group undertakes interdisciplinary research that seeks to develop novel approaches to understanding how technology affects communication, collaboration and knowledge exchange within scientific, work and home settings. These understandings are used to inform the design,  development and evaluation of new technologies and innovations, and to inform policy for responsible innovation.