RightsCon Tunis 2019

This workshop will function as an opportunity to develop the practical terms of a participatory, multistakeholder social media council(s) for the moderation of online content. The need for a multistakeholder model arises from several trends: first, recent government legislation which poses threats to freedom of expression online; second, the extraordinary control over content exercised by private companies whose platforms increasingly represent the public square; and third, the urgent need to combat harmful online content, while protecting and respecting freedom of expression. With input from speakers who are experts in online content and human rights, and specifically the unique challenges faced by those in the Global South, this workshop will address practical questions for building a feasible multistakeholder social media council. Some key questions will include: How should we properly structure such a body to ensure effectiveness, buy-in from governments and platforms, and protection of human rights principles? Who should be a member of such a body? How should members be selected? What will be the specific function of such a body: will it review individual appeals on content, or serve as an advisory body to help establish global standards? Should there be a global body, or national- or regional-level bodies?