| Name of Speaker | Tauhid Zaman |
| Schedule | 31 May 2024, 10am – 11.30am |
| Venue | BIZ1- 0307 |
| Link to Register | https://nus-sg.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMlduChqDoiGNbvqS_7q_XH-E66BMzMMYIl |
| Title | Social Media Suspensions and Shadow Banning: Political Bias or Genuine Disinformation Control? |
| Abstract | Social media platforms like Twitter and TikTok wield significant influence over the visibility and reach of content, raising critical questions: Are certain voices marginalized based on political leanings, or are platform interventions primarily aimed at mitigating the spread of disinformation? Recent discussions highlight allegations of political bias in account suspensions and “shadow banning,” a subtle mechanism where certain content is less visible to users, often without their knowledge.
Drawing from a field study on Twitter, we investigate these claims. Our findings suggest that while some account suspensions may appear biased, there is equally strong evidence indicating that these actions are strategic efforts to combat the spread of disinformation. We then delve into the issue of shadow banning, demonstrating how this mechanism can be used to shape opinions into arbitrary distributions by solving a linear program. Through simulations on real social network topologies, we show that if shadow banning were driven by partisanship, its implementation could be so subtle that overt political biases remain undetected. This underscores the imperative for rigorous transparency and oversight in the actions of social media platforms. This talk is based on the following papers:
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| About the Speaker | Tauhid is an Associate Professor of Operations Management at the Yale School of Management. He received his BS, MEng, and PhD degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT. His research focuses on information operations problems in the context of social media. Some of the topics he has studied include combating online extremists, identifying bots, and designing influence campaigns. His broader interests cover data driven approaches to investing in startup companies, algorithmic sports betting, and biometric data. His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Wired, Mashable, the LA Times, Bloomberg, and Time Magazine.
Website: https://www.zlisto.com/ |
