Hi there everyone, TheRingMaster is back with yet another Web 3.0 based article. For over two weeks now I've be sharing a lot about the different aspects of the potential of Web 3.0 and in each case study I include the challenges involved.
Some challenges are pretty obvious, including the problem of scalability and ways of promoting the adoption process of this technology. However since yesterday after my blog on how Web 3.0 can revolutionize the music industry, I couldn't help but think about a particular challenge I believe we may face in the event Web 3.0 is adopted worldwide.
One very huge advantage Web 3.0 has is its system of decentralization. A platform where everyone and anyone has full control over their articles, threads, audio and videos. We have the freedom of speech on Web 3.0 without the fear of getting the content taken down. This is the power of Web 3.0 however that comes with a downside.
If we're free to share anything, who's to determine what the scammers and deceivers would spread out there. - anything can be shared on a large scale right?
I believe this newfound liberties given to us by Web 3.0 come with a huge challenge of content moderation.
The question I seek to answer today is - How can we balance the ideals of free speech with the need to maintain a safe and respectful online community?
The Decentralized Social Media
I believe Hive users are already well educated on what Hive is and the privilege it brings to them. All Web 3.0 platforms operate on blockchain technology, which means they are not controlled by a single entity but instead have a network of users who manage and maintain them.
This decentralization stands in stark contrast to conventional social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter where they are owned and operated by a single company.
On a platform like Facebook, the organization that operates the servers which of course is Meta, create a set of rules about what kind of content can and can't be shared on the platform. Of course it can sometimes be very restricting and can take away the freedom or right of users to spread the Truth but the advantage it has is heavy level of content moderation.
But note that I said "heavy level" and I believe that goes too far. Sometimes their rules for content moderation can be influenced by third parties or government in a bias way. This is the downside of moderation in a centralized platform. Sometimes or rather most of the times, the truth of a matter is buried and lies are propagated.
The Promise of Free Speech
Free speech is a very important aspect of what makes an economy a good and democratic one where the voice of the people can be heard.
I think the most vital reason for choosing decentralized social media platforms is its potential to have true free speech. Just like you see here on Hive, there's no central authority existing and therefore people like you and I can speak more openly than in any other space that we access.
Infact in my 3 months experience here, I've been the most honest of myself about anything I share and I've got to say, it's really a breath of fresh air for those who I believe are trapped or ignored on the conventional platforms.
There's truly Freedom in Web 3.0 and Hive
The Challenge of Content Moderation
However, this freedom is not at all without difficulties. I wonder if you have ever heard the phrase "That's The Price Of Freedom"
I actually think that overcoming the challenges in content moderation on Web 3.0 is one of the price we need to pay for the freedom we get in its decentralized nature.
Moderating content becomes a bit challenging when there is no centralized control over it.
Usually on the traditional centralized platforms like YouTube, algorithms and a group of human moderators are responsible for enforcing content rules.
I had a couple of years experience on YouTube before discovering Hive and I can tell you, the rules are quite a lot. Although it makes it very restrictive on what to post, at least there was some assurance that you may not stumble into let's say a real life bloody incident video posted.
There are copyright rules and fair use Acts on YouTube that protects the content of original creators.
But in a decentralized system, there is no single authority to do this or create the algorithms however there are solutions to this problem and I'll share them as we go on.
The Double-Edged Sword
This idea and concept of free speech on Web 3.0 actually ends up creating a double-edged sword situation.
On one end of this Web 3.0 sword, the decentralized platforms may become places where people feel free to express themselves without fear.
On the other end of the Web 3.0 sword, these platforms could also be harmful if not moderated well enough and can lead to damaging problems like hate speech, misinformation and abuse in general terms.
However my goal is not to highlight the problem but to share a couple of thoughts on the solutions. Some of the possible solutions are already being implemented on Web 3.0
Possible Solutions
Hive is community based and there are quite a lot of different communities here, some of which have gotten so big that they have become Frontend sites to the entire Blockchain. I believe one possible solution is to hand over the moderation of content to the community itself.
We already have an Upvote and downvote system here on Hive and the way it affects the reputation of the user or creator I believe is a good thing. It makes creators careful about their activities on the platform in order to maintain their high reputations.
The fear of getting your content downvoted is a good one that prevents creators from abusing the platform. However, I think this demands a great deal of engagement and accountability on the part of users.
If I had to build Hive all over again, I might have created a set of rules on when a person should use their downvote buttons. Not just out of dislike but actually when you spot a user breaking a rule. But I guess that would mean taking the power from the people and that's not Decentralization so the bottom line would be that we should all be responsible about how we choose to interact with content on Web 3.0.
Decentralized AI Moderation
Another solution to the content moderation challenge could come from the Almighty technology of today's era, "Artificial Intelligence".
AI is getting better and better each year and newer versions of it are constantly being worked on. By using AI algorithms we can detect harmful content and flag them.
- Perhaps on Hive, we can implement AI algorithms to detect a blog or comment that breaks the rules, flagging the blog. Flagging would set the curation on the blog to burn and the blog automatically muted so that people won't even see it let alone get affected by it's abuse or lies.
However the AI algorithms we would develop to do this job will have to be transparent and audited regularly to ensure there’s no bias or defects in the system. All of this needs to be done carefully otherwise what was seen as decentralized can quickly turn into another Facebook and nobody wants that to happen.
Clear Community Guidelines and Incentives
Guidelines and rules are something I see being done very well here on Hive. Each community has its unique set of rules to avoid abuse or the wrong type of content being published. Clear guidelines for community members and incentives are very necessary.
So those who follow guidelines and make positive contributions to the communities may be rewarded while those who break the rules might suffer some consequences such as reduced visibility or temporary banishments. I don't think there may ever be a time I would encourage a permanent ban but I guess in situations where a user constantly breaks the rules and clearly refuses to amend their ways, it might be a necessary evil.
High Reputation, Higher Rewards
Now I'm not too old on this platform so I may not have all the information about how the reputation affects the user but I think communities can make a conscious effort and infact state it out clearly that the higher you go up in reputation and following all rules with long lasting commitment, the more rewards you get.
By so doing, it creates this awareness that doing the right things on this platform will give you more than trying to abuse it and earn something quickly.
This would mean if you keep doing the right thing and your reputation goes high, so will your power, earnings and influence on the platform. So that in the end, the trusted members would have a bigger impact when it comes to moderation and this will ensure that communities remain balanced and respectful.
I am certain there could be more solutions to this content moderation challenge and my blog is opened for all views on opinions regarding this topic, so would love to get your feedback friends.
Looking Forward
Although this is a serious problem for decentralized social media platforms, it is certainly not impossible to completely overcome.
I actually believe we can build an equilibrium by using the communities we the people create on the platform, the Blockchain technology itself and clear guidelines where the principles of freedom of speech are upheld while at the very same time, safety and respect are guaranteed in an online context.
At the end of the day and I've said this before, the future success of Web 3.0 solely depends on our collective efforts to create a positive, respectful and inclusive community.
Thank you so much for the time. As I mentioned earlier, this particular topic is opened for all opinions or feedback relating to it.
I would like to hear your thoughts on ways we can ensure freedom of speech without creating a chance for abuse, hate speech and the spread of lies...