Regulating terrorist content on tech platforms: A proposed framework based on social regulation

WATKIN, AMY-LOUISE

doi:10.23889/SUthesis.57985

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Regulating terrorist content on tech platforms: A proposed framework based on social regulation / AMY-LOUISE WATKIN

Swansea University Author: AMY-LOUISE WATKIN

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DOI (Published version): 10.23889/SUthesis.57985

Abstract

Scholars have been arguing for years that responses to terrorist content on tech platforms have, to-date, been inadequate. Past responses have been reactive and fragmented with tech platforms self-regulating. Over the last few years, many governments began to decide that the self-regulatory approach...

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Published:	Swansea 2021
Institution:	Swansea University
Degree level:	Doctoral
Degree name:	Ph.D
Supervisor:	Macdonald, Stuart. ; Nouri, Lella. ; Bishop, Patrick
URI:	https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57985
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first_indexed	2021-09-20T15:34:37Z
last_indexed	2021-09-21T03:21:38Z
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recordtype	RisThesis
fullrecord	<?xml version="1.0"?><rfc1807><datestamp>2021-09-20T17:00:00.0518409</datestamp><bib-version>v2</bib-version><id>57985</id><entry>2021-09-20</entry><title>Regulating terrorist content on tech platforms: A proposed framework based on social regulation</title><swanseaauthors><author><sid>64667e51975d2a4d0b111bf38c7a4847</sid><firstname>AMY-LOUISE</firstname><surname>WATKIN</surname><name>AMY-LOUISE WATKIN</name><active>true</active><ethesisStudent>false</ethesisStudent></author></swanseaauthors><date>2021-09-20</date><abstract>Scholars have been arguing for years that responses to terrorist content on tech platforms have, to-date, been inadequate. Past responses have been reactive and fragmented with tech platforms self-regulating. Over the last few years, many governments began to decide that the self-regulatory approach was not working. As a result, a number of regulatory frameworks have been proposed and/or implemented. However, they have been highly criticised. The purpose of this thesis is to propose a new regulatory framework to counter terrorist content on tech platforms and overcome many of these criticisms. Scholars have argued that it is vital that future regulation be informed by past experience and supported by evidence from prior research. Therefore, a number of steps were taken. First, this thesis examines a review of literature into what platforms are exploited by terrorist organisations. Next, a content analysis was undertaken on blogposts that tech platforms publish in order to investigate the efforts that tech platforms report making to counter terrorist content on their services and the challenges that they face. Third, a sample of existing or currently proposed regulatory frameworks were examined in order to learn what was done well and what gaps, limitations and challenges exist that require addressing in future regulation. Finally, social regulation theory was identified as applicable in this regulatory context. Social regulation strategies were examined in three other regulatory contexts in order to examine whether they could be used in this regulatory context. The findings from the above analyses were used to inform a new regulatory framework that is proposed in this thesis. In addition to proposing a new regulatory framework, this thesis also identified three compliance issues that tech platforms may face. These compliance issues are addressed alongside the proposal of the framework. Overall, it is argued that previous regulatory attempts failed to consider the diverse array of challenges that are faced by different platforms when countering terrorist content. The regulatory framework proposed in this thesis researched these challenges and identified strategies from a social regulation approach, learning lessons from how they were applied elsewhere to overcome some of the key criticisms and limitations of existing regulatory practice.</abstract><type>E-Thesis</type><journal/><volume/><journalNumber/><paginationStart/><paginationEnd/><publisher/><placeOfPublication>Swansea</placeOfPublication><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint/><issnElectronic/><keywords>Online terrorist content, regulation, social media platforms</keywords><publishedDay>20</publishedDay><publishedMonth>9</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2021</publishedYear><publishedDate>2021-09-20</publishedDate><doi>10.23889/SUthesis.57985</doi><url/><notes>ORCiD identifier https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5357-1400</notes><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><supervisor>Macdonald, Stuart. ; Nouri, Lella. ; Bishop, Patrick</supervisor><degreelevel>Doctoral</degreelevel><degreename>Ph.D</degreename><degreesponsorsfunders>Swansea University Law School</degreesponsorsfunders><apcterm/><lastEdited>2021-09-20T17:00:00.0518409</lastEdited><Created>2021-09-20T16:32:04.6649555</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences</level><level id="2">School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy</level></path><authors><author><firstname>AMY-LOUISE</firstname><surname>WATKIN</surname><order>1</order></author></authors><documents><document><filename>57985__20946__0b5865cafaee4b158cfe3fb7ef6449c9.pdf</filename><originalFilename>Watkin_Amy-Louise_PhD_Thesis_Final_Redacted_Signature.pdf</originalFilename><uploaded>2021-09-20T16:48:15.3660224</uploaded><type>Output</type><contentLength>1558304</contentLength><contentType>application/pdf</contentType><version>E-Thesis – open access</version><cronfaStatus>true</cronfaStatus><documentNotes>Copyright: The author, Amy-Louise Watkin, 2021.</documentNotes><copyrightCorrect>true</copyrightCorrect><language>eng</language></document></documents><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling	2021-09-20T17:00:00.0518409 v2 57985 2021-09-20 Regulating terrorist content on tech platforms: A proposed framework based on social regulation 64667e51975d2a4d0b111bf38c7a4847 AMY-LOUISE WATKIN AMY-LOUISE WATKIN true false 2021-09-20 Scholars have been arguing for years that responses to terrorist content on tech platforms have, to-date, been inadequate. Past responses have been reactive and fragmented with tech platforms self-regulating. Over the last few years, many governments began to decide that the self-regulatory approach was not working. As a result, a number of regulatory frameworks have been proposed and/or implemented. However, they have been highly criticised. The purpose of this thesis is to propose a new regulatory framework to counter terrorist content on tech platforms and overcome many of these criticisms. Scholars have argued that it is vital that future regulation be informed by past experience and supported by evidence from prior research. Therefore, a number of steps were taken. First, this thesis examines a review of literature into what platforms are exploited by terrorist organisations. Next, a content analysis was undertaken on blogposts that tech platforms publish in order to investigate the efforts that tech platforms report making to counter terrorist content on their services and the challenges that they face. Third, a sample of existing or currently proposed regulatory frameworks were examined in order to learn what was done well and what gaps, limitations and challenges exist that require addressing in future regulation. Finally, social regulation theory was identified as applicable in this regulatory context. Social regulation strategies were examined in three other regulatory contexts in order to examine whether they could be used in this regulatory context. The findings from the above analyses were used to inform a new regulatory framework that is proposed in this thesis. In addition to proposing a new regulatory framework, this thesis also identified three compliance issues that tech platforms may face. These compliance issues are addressed alongside the proposal of the framework. Overall, it is argued that previous regulatory attempts failed to consider the diverse array of challenges that are faced by different platforms when countering terrorist content. The regulatory framework proposed in this thesis researched these challenges and identified strategies from a social regulation approach, learning lessons from how they were applied elsewhere to overcome some of the key criticisms and limitations of existing regulatory practice. E-Thesis Swansea Online terrorist content, regulation, social media platforms 20 9 2021 2021-09-20 10.23889/SUthesis.57985 ORCiD identifier https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5357-1400 COLLEGE NANME COLLEGE CODE Swansea University Macdonald, Stuart. ; Nouri, Lella. ; Bishop, Patrick Doctoral Ph.D Swansea University Law School 2021-09-20T17:00:00.0518409 2021-09-20T16:32:04.6649555 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy AMY-LOUISE WATKIN 1 57985__20946__0b5865cafaee4b158cfe3fb7ef6449c9.pdf Watkin_Amy-Louise_PhD_Thesis_Final_Redacted_Signature.pdf 2021-09-20T16:48:15.3660224 Output 1558304 application/pdf E-Thesis – open access true Copyright: The author, Amy-Louise Watkin, 2021. true eng
title	Regulating terrorist content on tech platforms: A proposed framework based on social regulation
spellingShingle	Regulating terrorist content on tech platforms: A proposed framework based on social regulation AMY-LOUISE WATKIN
title_short	Regulating terrorist content on tech platforms: A proposed framework based on social regulation
title_full	Regulating terrorist content on tech platforms: A proposed framework based on social regulation
title_fullStr	Regulating terrorist content on tech platforms: A proposed framework based on social regulation
title_full_unstemmed	Regulating terrorist content on tech platforms: A proposed framework based on social regulation
title_sort	Regulating terrorist content on tech platforms: A proposed framework based on social regulation
author_id_str_mv	64667e51975d2a4d0b111bf38c7a4847
author_id_fullname_str_mv	64667e51975d2a4d0b111bf38c7a4847_***_AMY-LOUISE WATKIN
author	AMY-LOUISE WATKIN
author2	AMY-LOUISE WATKIN
format	E-Thesis
publishDate	2021
institution	Swansea University
doi_str_mv	10.23889/SUthesis.57985
college_str	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id	facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id	facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str	School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Social Sciences - Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy
document_store_str	1
active_str	0
description	Scholars have been arguing for years that responses to terrorist content on tech platforms have, to-date, been inadequate. Past responses have been reactive and fragmented with tech platforms self-regulating. Over the last few years, many governments began to decide that the self-regulatory approach was not working. As a result, a number of regulatory frameworks have been proposed and/or implemented. However, they have been highly criticised. The purpose of this thesis is to propose a new regulatory framework to counter terrorist content on tech platforms and overcome many of these criticisms. Scholars have argued that it is vital that future regulation be informed by past experience and supported by evidence from prior research. Therefore, a number of steps were taken. First, this thesis examines a review of literature into what platforms are exploited by terrorist organisations. Next, a content analysis was undertaken on blogposts that tech platforms publish in order to investigate the efforts that tech platforms report making to counter terrorist content on their services and the challenges that they face. Third, a sample of existing or currently proposed regulatory frameworks were examined in order to learn what was done well and what gaps, limitations and challenges exist that require addressing in future regulation. Finally, social regulation theory was identified as applicable in this regulatory context. Social regulation strategies were examined in three other regulatory contexts in order to examine whether they could be used in this regulatory context. The findings from the above analyses were used to inform a new regulatory framework that is proposed in this thesis. In addition to proposing a new regulatory framework, this thesis also identified three compliance issues that tech platforms may face. These compliance issues are addressed alongside the proposal of the framework. Overall, it is argued that previous regulatory attempts failed to consider the diverse array of challenges that are faced by different platforms when countering terrorist content. The regulatory framework proposed in this thesis researched these challenges and identified strategies from a social regulation approach, learning lessons from how they were applied elsewhere to overcome some of the key criticisms and limitations of existing regulatory practice.
published_date	2021-09-20T04:14:08Z
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score	11.037581

Regulating terrorist content on tech platforms: A proposed framework based on social regulation / AMY-LOUISE WATKIN

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