Scenarios of Social Media Platforms' Managing Paper Example

Social Media is a form of online communication introduced since the development of websites for which people can share thoughts and conversations as messages, post content including videos and images and interact and talk with people whilst taking part in online gaming. Social media includes the online tools which are used by the Internet, used for social interaction. Social media is a generic term that refers to the use of Internet-based technologies and mobile media to transform communications between individuals and groups into interactive dialogues. These interactive communications are carried out through such social networks as Facebook, Twitch, and You-tube among others. Typically, they are highly flexible publication mechanisms in their dimension and scope. Social media allows for easy interface communication which also gives rise to more risk. This is why it is essential for a website to have appropriate terms and conditions set so that if any explicit content or language of communication can offend someone or parties in such a way or result in methods of bullying and harassment. Additionally, this also includes unfriendly conversations or content posted.

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Terms of Service is the set of rules for which a website or online platform manages the content on the website and for its users. There have been examples of how some social media platforms have had information expressed and therefore breach the content that exposed to users. The rapidity with which information is disseminated makes these tools authentic viral cyclones that reach everywhere whose use is transferred to all areas: social, political, economic or educational, among others. It is evident that each social media platform has its own specific challenges which explains the difference in the enforcement strategy of TOS from one platform to another. In recent years, social media has evolved from a mere toy to interact and connect with each other to a global phenomenon in which individuals and organizations of all kinds are committed to business objectives. At present and with the rapid adoption of social media, organizations and the legal community are trying to understand how to preserve and how responsibilities occur in the contents of social media. This responsibility arises from the requirements that any channel through which individuals interact and express them may need to be reviewed in case some information could be compromising by its nature.

Social media platforms have had each similar, and very different scenarios of their own and so have managed them. Some instances it can be necessary to modify the terms or monitor if they are in line with the incidents that can occur. But given the explicit content that can arise such explicit images, videos and inappropriate language and behaviour, the terms of services need to be modified to ensure the content is safe and appropriate for online. This website will compare three social media platforms: facebook, Twitch, and YouTube. For each platform, I will analyse the terms of service and examples of situations to which the terms of service have applied. A definition of the platform provided along with findings of any issues or situations relating to the importance of its terms of service will also be provided. Finally, outcomes and findings will be discussed for each platform.

Findings

Facebook is a platform used to share content with others, for example, status update, uploading a photo, recording and uploading a video, sharing a link, creating an event or a group, commenting on posts, writing on someone's wall, or sending a message to another user (WhatIs.com. 2018). While the issue of how metadata is stored is a valid thing to discuss, it's a little early in the piece and will need some kind of introduction, for example a sentence stating that Facebook collects users' data in order to make revenue from advertising.

Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms where users can interact, posting content in the form of words, messages, images, and videos. Facebook is primarily a social networking tool used for personal interaction with friends and family (BusinessDictionary.com. 2018).

Given the volume of user interaction that occurs, it is essential Facebook be able to manage the website using its Terms of Service procedure.

Unique Issues Facing Facebook

One of the major issues facing Facebook is privacy concerns where user information was allegedly misused. An evident example of this is the current alleged breach of privacy for users on Facebook, where user information was sold to other companies (Variety. 2018). The CEO Zuckerberg has however said that they have updated their privacy policy to ensure that users enjoy confidentiality (Washington Post. 2018).

Terms of Use

Facebook allows a user to select a privacy setting for each publication that they make using the editor of the site. Whether one is uploading a photo, status, or a video they can control exactly who can see it at the moment of creating it. Every time a user shares something, they look and click on the padlock icon in the interface where a menu is displayed that lets them choose who can see their publication.

Facebook has changed its rules on what content to allow on its platform, such as graphic beheading videos (The top five threats facing Facebook 2018). It is also strict about the requirement that Facebook users create profiles using their real name. Facebook Connections allow users to practically connect to any person or thing they want, from colleagues and family to the city where they live or the hotels that they like to visit and their favourite groups and movies (Zhao, X., et al.,. 2013). Reading through Facebook's Terms of Service highlights some of the issues that the platform has likely had to deal with, such as child predators, terrorist organisation recruiting, bullying, public indecency, among others (Facebook. 2018).

Outcome

It is a good thing that Facebook's privacy policy allows users to be able to manage who sees their profile which helps in protecting their privacy rights. (Facebook Terms of Service. 2010). While Facebook has attempted to be consistent with its enforcement of content bans, there are plenty of instances in which they have let certain things slip through the net such as the infringement of user privacy (Fortune. 2018).

Facebook has to deal with complex problems such as bullying, online predation and spamming, and so it is difficult to draw the line on what is acceptable (Lillqvist, E. and Louhiala-Salminen, L. 2013) which is a good balancing act. The benefits of Facebook are evident from socialisation, marketing and information communication activities (Voykinska, V. et al.. 2016); (Trinet. 2012).

Findings

Twitch is an online platform for gaming where users can interact with typing messengers and watch people stream a current video game they are playing. Twitch has good methods and procedures to manage the content include moderators that regularly monitor the content and raise and concerns as required. Twitch streams enable streamers to broadcast high-fidelity video of gameplay in real-life. Participants simultaneously communicate through streaming media and an associated chat channel.

Unique issues facing twitch

There are many levels of moderators on Twitch, these are:

Twitch Staff:

Admins: Paid persons who are alerted to reports in streams of TOS breaches and they go into the stream and help keep Twitch as safe as breach free as possible.

Global Moderators: They have the ability to go into any stream and complete actions that other regular moderators can do, the difference being that Global Moderators can complete those actions in any stream.

Twitch chat considered as one of the major concerns with the platform. It is due to a large number of streamers and their fans which is often characterised by heckling and shouting, hate speech and misogynistic behaviour among the users. Twitch also faced with obnoxious long stream delays which discourage real-time communication as queries filtered through all the viewers.

Terms of Service

Twitch protects minors by regulating its use to persons under the age of 13 years. Young children between the age of 13 and 18 are only allowed to use twitch under parent or guardian supervision (www.twitch.tv. 2018). The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) in the United States bans twitch users from streaming adult rated content, streaming of games with unfounded violence and openly sexual activity (Polygon. 2018) (Patrick Klepek. 2018).

The interview findings were valuable in having a clear understanding of the terms of use of the switch platform. Speaking with an actual moderator gave a detailed insight into the procedures Twitch undertakes.

Twitch has a policy of rewarding their users based on the content broadcasted and the number of views generated (Polygon. 2018). The platform also enables users to interact by communicating in real time (http://ecologylab.net/research/publications/streamingOnTwitch.pdf). It is particularly important for video game lovers (Polygon. 2018); (Jason Traff on Svbtle. 2018). Consequently, a large community is built comprising of broadcasters, viewers, fans, publishers and game developers (reddit. 2018).

Outcome

Twitch has been consistent with its enforcement of content bans where there are situations where content is streamed and is believed to be unlawful or not appropriate is removed within hours due to the global moderators and twitch administrators who are trained to educate in the platform (Will Partin. 2018). An example of a content ban is the banning of Yandere Simulator video game in May 2015 (Twitch. 2018). The Twitch platform also warned its users against promoting or broadcasting gambling content with the ban of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive skin gambling. In general, Twitch prohibits games that violate the Community Guidelines as applied to nudity, sex, hate speech, gratuitous gore, or extreme violence (CMX. 2018).

Findings

YouTube is a common platform for people to upload videos or music. Users can create channels for other users to follow (YouTube Definition. 2018). The platform comprises uploading and streaming of audiovisual content (SearchCIO. 2018).

Unique issues facing YouTube

A recent incident for which YouTube had an explicit video leaked was from a popular you-tuber called Logan Paul, who released a video on the suicide forest filming a dead body. This video was left up for a period whereby a lot of people accessed this content. YouTube response on the situation resulted in the video taken down where moderators apologised for not acting on time: "It's taken us a long time to respond, but we've been listening to everything you've been saying. We recognise that the actions of one creator can affect the entire community, so we'll have more to share soon on steps we're taking to ensure a video like this never circulated again." (Billboard 2018).

Terms of Service

YouTube prohibits uploading of nudity or sexual content, hateful content, harmful and dangerous, violent and graphic content (Terms of Service - YouTube. 2018). Threats, cyberbullying and harassment, spam, misleading metadata, etc. are some of the concerns with the YouTube platform which are removed after reporting for violation of use policy (YouTube Privacy Guidelines - YouTube Help. 2018).

Another issue is the social objective which is the disclosure of creative talent in the form of audiovisual content and remains one of the identifying characteristics of the YouTube platform. There is a growing professionalisation of users' activities on YouTube as they seek to demonstrate their skills and competence in performing various functions.

The commercial objective of YouTube which is obtaining economic benefit...