The internet today seems boundless, an inexhaustible resource for speech, knowledge, and activity that continues to expand every day. This wild internet was once heralded by its pioneers as a great equalizer, which would let everyone, everywhere in the world have access to the same information, conversations, and opportunity. However, as more nations see potential for harm on the internet and consolidated platforms struggle to cope with the volume of content created by users, we are seeing an increase in rules and regulations created to try to pin the internet into a shape that is recognizable and manageable. Unfortunately, what is recognizable does not mean the same thing across nations, platforms, or communities, resulting in a race to export one singular vision of the internet which could potentially threaten inclusion online. For example, while a certain platform may ban speech which discriminates based on sexual orientation in its terms of service, a nation where that platform operates may pass a law banning the “promotion” of a homosexual lifestyle. Not only is there conflict between platforms’ terms of service and national laws -- a conflict which could possibly be settled by courts -- there is often conflict between the laws of multiple nations when it comes to what can and should be allowed on the internet. In practice, this can lead to a hierarchy of rules which must be followed online, with that hierarchy often being topped by large, wealthy countries, regions, or companies which have the capacity and interest in setting the tone of regulation for the internet. The internet is a tool which has great power to bring individuals and groups from across the globe together, but increasingly those meeting places are all beginning to look the same, meaning that many users do not see their identities or values reflected in the modern online world. On the other hand, national or local standards set by governments or vocal communities often fail to reflect the interests of all in those locations as well, and can be used to suppress access to information or critical speech. In this session, we will examine the various sources of globally applied standards on platforms, and discuss both the benefits and real-world consequences of local and global standards on various online communities.
