The weaponization of platform governance: Mass reporting and algorithmic punishments in the creator economy

Abstract

Amid wider discussions of online harassment on social media platforms, recent research has turned to the experiences of social media creators whose compulsory visibility renders them vulnerable to frequent attacks, ranging from persistent trolling to much more insidious, offline acts of violence. This study examines a contemporary form of harassment against social media creators known as “mass reporting,” or the targeted, automated flagging of creators' online content to trigger content takedowns and account bans. Mass reporting is particularly challenging for social media creators because of its weaponization of platform infrastructures for community governance, leaving creators with few avenues of support after orchestrated attacks and restricting their access to platform support. Drawing on in‐depth interviews with social media creators who have been subjected to mass reporting on their content, this study builds an understanding of the ways in which tools for platform governance, such as content reporting, can be weaponized to harass and introduce vulnerabilities for creators.

Special issue: The (international) politics of content takedowns: Theory, practice, ethics

“…The first article by Colten Meisner (2023) highlights the vulnerability of social media creators in the face of mass reporting-a targeted, automated strategy used to trigger content takedowns and account bans. This form of harassment utilizes platform infrastructures for community governance, leaving creators with few avenues of support and access to platform assistance after orchestrated attacks.…”