Turning the Internet into a Better Place
Today, access to technology has become easier than ever before. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, digital tools played a critical role in many areas of life, from education to working life, from social connections to healthcare services. However, the fact that technology takes such a central place also brings with it individuals' responsibility to protect their own digital well-being. Reaching accurate information, deciding how much of our data we will share, and creating a balance among online activities have now become our individual tasks. These tasks become even more important, particularly for the healthy development of children and family members in the digital world.
However, digital well-being should not be a burden carried by individuals alone. According to author Eli Pariser, digital platform providers should also share this burden. Pariser argues that these platforms, which gain great power through users' social interactions, must be not only user-friendly but also society-friendly. In this context, three core responsibilities are placed on digital platforms: establishing meaningful digital norms, verifying user identities, and improving content curation.
1. Establishing Meaningful Digital Norms:
Digital platforms need to set clear and understandable norms that will guide their users' behavior. For example, Flickr offers simple but effective community guidelines that encourage its users to be respectful. These rules are important for the healthy functioning of the community. However, many platforms hide these rules where users cannot easily access them. Therefore, signs reminding users of behavioral norms in digital environments (such as respectful discussion tips before videos on YouTube) should be presented. Such practices create a more trustworthy digital environment, even if they cause a small decrease in ad revenue.
2. Improving User Verification Systems:
A large portion of the negative content on the internet is spread by fake accounts and bots. Research conducted at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that approximately half of the tweets posted about the virus were from bot sources. Platforms such as Facebook and YouTube are also fighting against fake accounts. However, simply deleting these accounts is not enough; bot accounts should be clearly labeled, and the identities of people with large numbers of followers in particular should be verified. While anonymity isn't entirely removed, labeling unverified accounts increases user security. It is possible and easy for digital platforms to adopt the identity verification technologies used by banks or airlines. Otherwise, cyberbullying, fraud, and the spread of misinformation will continue.
3. Improving Content Curation:
Platforms must be more active in filtering illegal content and messages that negatively affect society. Although companies such as Twitter, Apple, and Google have taken various steps on this issue, these efforts are not sufficient. Platforms such as Reddit and Wikipedia, which operate with the support of human moderators, offer effective examples of applying community rules. However, it may be expected that the contributions of these volunteer moderators will also be supported financially. YouTube rewards content creators by sharing ad revenue with them; a similar system could be implemented for content curators.
Platforms should also diversify the reactions users give to content. Today, most platforms have no feedback options other than ''like'' or ''dislike.'' However, softer reactions we use in physical life—for example, ''I'm not sure'' or ''this needs some research''—should also find their counterparts in the digital world. Such intermediate reactions both reduce polarization in communication and contribute to the development of social norms.
As a result, if digital platforms want to maintain the trust of users, they have to build more ethical and society-conscious systems. They must spread codes of conduct, combat fake accounts, and strengthen content moderation through both technical and human methods. If they care about users' thoughts, fulfilling these three responsibilities is not an option for them but a necessity. Protecting our digital well-being is the duty not only of individuals but also of digital platforms.
