CCAN Supplementary

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced major changes, including dismantling fact-checking teams and diversity programmes, while aligning with Trump ahead of his return. The Christchurch Call CEO Paul Ash responds, noting Meta's continued commitment to countering terrorist content despite policy shifts.

The dual challenge faced by social media platforms emerges through the tension between content moderation and free speech. While Meta and X move towards looser controls and community moderation, they maintain specific commitments against terrorist content. This paradox shows how platforms attempt to balance commercial interests with security responsibilities.

Ash, who took time out of his summer break to speak to The Spinoff, said it was “assuring that Meta has said it will continue to monitor and act on terrorist content as it has been doing. It has not changed its Dangerous Organisations and Individuals policy and that’s the core of policy that underpins the work that the Christchurch Call does – dealing with terrorist and violent extremist content.”

"I think there's a distinction to be made between extreme views and extreme views that advocate violence or dehumanising behavior. I think any platform that lifts a set of controls, can expect to see some more extreme views popping up. That's human nature, that's how people behave," says Paul Ash.

The Australian government's proposal to ban social media access for under-16s, aimed at protecting youth from harmful content like misogyny, faces criticism. Research shows social media's benefits for identity formation and community building, especially for marginalised youth, while age verification poses practical challenges.

The focus on social media overlooks how misogyny is deeply embedded in everyday social structures. Algorithms may amplify anti-women content, but these attitudes exist offline in schools and society. A ban addresses symptoms rather than root causes of gender-based discrimination and violence.

"Social media platforms and their algorithms merely mirror ideas and attitudes towards women and girls that already exist, and are likely to be encountered in all settings across young people's lives, not just online."