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Content Creation · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Content Moderation and Safety

This course addresses the “essential workers” of the internet: content moderators. It examines the policies, tools, and human labor required to keep digital platforms safe. Students will study Community Guidelines, the psychological toll of moderation, and the emerging role of AI in detecting hate speech, violence, and copyright infringement automatically.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Analyze the structure and enforcement of "Community Standards" (Meta/YouTube)
  2. Differentiate between Human Review (hit-in-the-loop) and Automated Moderation (AI)
  3. Navigate the ethics of Censorship vs. Free Speech in a global context
  4. Understand the mental health impact of moderation and "Wellness" protocols
  5. Manage "User Reports" and appeal processes effectively
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01History of Online Safety: From Usenet to 4Chan
  2. 02Developing Community Guidelines
  3. 03The Human Moderator: Labor & Psychology
  4. 04AI Tools: Natural Language Processing (NLP)
  5. 05AI Tools: Computer Vision for visual detection
  6. 06Hate Speech: Context & Cultural Nuance
  7. 07Bullying & Harassment Policies
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Child Safety (CSAM) & NCMEC Reporting
  10. 10Misinformation & Fact-Checking Protocols
  11. 11Copyright & DMCA Takedowns
  12. 12Handling Graphic Violence & Extremism
  13. 13The Appeals Process & Transparency
  14. 14Regulation: GDPR & The Digital Services Act
  15. 15Crisis Response: Live Streaming Events
  16. 16Final Project: Policy Development Case Study

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: Policy Development Case Study

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Behind the Screen: Content Moderation in the Shadows of Social Media by Sarah T. Roberts
  2. Custodians of the Internet by Tarleton Gillespie
  3. The Internet Is Not What You Think It Is by Justin E. H. Smith
  4. Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation by Andrew Marantz
  5. Trust & Safety Professional Handbook (TSPA Resources)
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