Policy, Participation & Power on YouTube, Facebook, Blogger and
Wikipedia
Laura SteinUniversity of Texas at Austin
Significance
• Relevance of terms of service – Often legally binding contracts that specify user
power– Part of the social arrangements influencing
platform use– Potential default position platform owners can
evoke in case of conflict• Informed choices by users• Advocacy for betters terms of service
Alternative Media (Downing)
• Offers alternative to mainstream media• Challenges existing power structures• Represents/empowers marginalized groups• Makes horizontal linkages between
communities of interest• Provides an alternative public forum
Paper Tiger Reads Paper Tiger Television
Alternative Media Dimensions
• Content• Aesthetic• Organization• Relationship to Audience/Users
Participatory Culture
• Jenkins- digital media consumers actively participate in the creation and circulation of new content (though under unclear rules and conditions of differential power)
• Benkler- radically decentralized, collaborative and nonproprietary ways of organizing production (commons-based peer production)
• Participation fosters empowerment & democracy
Critical Questions:
• Do specific instances of participation challenge or reinforce existing power structures?
• Are opportunities to participate equitably distributed?
• What are the terms and conditions of participation?
• Do governments and markets support or suppress participation?
Level of Power Participation Type Policy Mechanisms
Empowering(formalizes user influence/control over platform content & governance)
Control- users exercise full control over platform content, activities or regulation
Influence- users share in decision-making with platform owners and managers; formal mechanisms that can’t be unilaterally removed or altered by platform owners
Semi-empowering(facilitates participation but doesn’t guarantee user can influence outcomes)
Choice- enables platform users to select among predetermined options, or to determine the activities in which they want to engage (but not to shape the choices offered)
Input- allows users to make their views known, but does not require platform owners or managers take these views into account when making decisions
Information- informs users about policies, practices, procedures and options.
Informed consent- clearly discloses practices
No power/Disempowering
Uninformed Consent- engages users in deceptive, misleading or undisclosed practices
(gives users no influence/power or takes power away)
Nonparticipation- forecloses avenues of participation; engages in deceptive or exploitative participation
Group Exercise
• Pick a platform and examine its user policies [Facebook, YouTube, Blogger, Wikipedia, or Indymedia Portugal].
• Where do these policies fall on the typology of participation/power? Why?
• Briefly report your findings back to the larger group
Level of Power
Participation Type
Policy Mechanisms
Empowering Control Users determine featured content; users own content; users determine appropriate content; open source copyright licenses; open source software; user registration not required; user acceptance of terms not required; users resolve disputes; users administrate; users formulate and approve policy
Influence [Users influence content; users influence dispute resolution; users influence policy; users hold some administrative positions]
Semi-empowering Choice Users can withhold personal information; Users can limit access to personal information through privacy settings; users can remove identifying tags on photos; users can control who sees tags; users can opt in/out of ad tracking and targeting; users can select among provided policy options
Input Users can flag/tag content for company review; users can appeal decisions to remove content; users can submit questions and complaints; users can comment on proposed policy changes
Information Information about content prohibitions; information about content ownership; information about copyright restrictions; information about the collection, use & visibility of personal information; information on the limitations on content and service use; information about options; transparent procedures governing content; transparent procedures governing policy formation; transparent procedures governing disputes
Informed consent
[Policies described in plain language; Adequate notification of policy changes; Policy risks and benefits explicated]
No power/Disempowering
Uninformed Consent
Platform use signals acceptance of terms; policies written in “legalese”; policies framed as user “rights”; default privacy settings exposing personal data
Nonparticipation Requiring personal information to use platform; unilateral decisions to remove content or terminate accounts; no appeal process; no comment mechanism
Conclusion
• YouTube and Facebook policies mainly elaborate user prohibitions and company permissions
• Wikipedia gives users collective control of nearly all decision-making surrounding content & policy
• Users should question the terms & conditions of participation on these platforms
• Scholars should critically evaluate & oppose exploitative policies
Findings/Analysis
Wikipedia- between citizen control and delegated power
Facebook- between partnership and placation
YouTube- Consultation