Content Moderation by Social Media Intermediaries - Examining Short Termism during the Ukraine Crisis

Abstract

Social Media platforms have long been accused of differential content moderation practices, both by Governments and their users. The Russia-Ukraine war brought this issue to the forefront, where moderation decisions of major technology platforms like Twitter, Meta are being scrutinized, and accused of restricting freedom of speech, moderating legitimate or propaganda incorrectly, and promoting violent content in breach of their own policies. This paper analyzes the moderation decisions of major technology platforms in non-war era, and during the Ukraine crisis, the power dynamics that influenced these decisions, and the short-termism of their Ukraine response strategy which deviated from their purported mission statements. It concludes with examining the social and long-term impact of this decision, and briefly explores if an alternative could have caused long-term impact towards free flow of legitimate information, had the platforms applied their hidden power in regulatory engagements to follow their mission statements, as described.