"There is an epidemic sweeping the world," the Nigerian Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said. "It is the epidemic of fake news. Mixed with hate speech, it is a disaster waiting to happen." Some argue that the disaster has already happened. But is the solution as simple as ridding social media of disinformation and hate speech? Who should decide whether content should be removed from platforms, or which users should be kicked off? Should governments set the rules and force the American behemoths--Facebook, YouTube and Twitter--to follow? Or should the companies be permitted to moderate their space as they see fit? David Kaye, one of the world's leading voices on human rights in the digital age, deals with these issues on a daily basis as the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression. Speech Police brings us behind the scenes, from Facebook's "mini-legislative" meetings to the European Commission's closed-door negotiations, and introduces journalists, activists, and content moderators who take down a virtual flood of photos, videos and text every day. He tells the story of people around the world who are trying to get it right while facing an almost impossible task--with massive consequences for users and the public.
DAVID KAYE is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the global body's principal monitor for freedom of expression issues worldwide. A professor of law at the University of California, Irvine, he began his legal career with the U.S. State Department. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and former member of the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law. His articles have appeared in The Washington Post,the Los Angeles Times,The New York Times,Slate, and Foreign Affairs, among other publications.
"There is an epidemic sweeping the world," the Nigerian Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said. "It is the epidemic of fake news. Mixed with hate speech, it is a disaster waiting to happen." Some argue that the disaster has already happened. But is the solution as simple as ridding social media of disinformation and hate speech? Who should decide whether content should be removed from platforms, or which users should be kicked off? Should governments set the rules and force the American behemoths--Facebook, YouTube and Twitter--to follow? Or should the companies be permitted to moderate their space as they see fit? David Kaye, one of the world's leading voices on human rights in the digital age, deals with these issues on a daily basis as the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression. Speech Police brings us behind the scenes, from Facebook's "mini-legislative" meetings to the European Commission's closed-door negotiations, and introduces journalists, activists, and content moderators who take down a virtual flood of photos, videos and text every day. He tells the story of people around the world who are trying to get it right while facing an almost impossible task--with massive consequences for users and the public.
DAVID KAYE is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the global body's principal monitor for freedom of expression issues worldwide. A professor of law at the University of California, Irvine, he began his legal career with the U.S. State Department. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and former member of the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law. His articles have appeared in The Washington Post,the Los Angeles Times,The New York Times,Slate, and Foreign Affairs, among other publications.
