This working group investigates the complex debates on regulatory frameworks for social media platforms in Germany, the United States, and Brazil. We look, in particular, at discourses on the challenges of regulating online speech in a way that respects democratic values, taking into account cultural-specific sensitivities.
Germany’s NetzDG reflects an European regulatory model which has raised concerns about ‘overblocking’, contrasting with the United States’ regulatory model based on Section 230 CDA, which champions platform autonomy and freedom of speech. In Brazil, the debate around the Marco Civil da Internet and current social media disputes underscore unique regulatory challenges in Latin America, where recent violent events have intensified calls for platform accountability.
By conducting a digital discourse analysis on various media sources, this project compares public narratives on platform regulation, identifying key stakeholders, arguments, and communicative strategies. The analysis seeks to reveal how historical and cultural contexts shape national approaches to online speech regulation.
Main research areas
- Platform Governance
- Discourse analysis
- Social media regulation
- Freedom of speech
- Digital methods
Research Results
The meeting established the Cross-border Digital Policy Network (CDPN). The workshop facilitated the drafting of a grant proposal to advance the network’s research agenda, as well as a plan for international interdisciplinary teaching cooperation among European, North American and Brazilian institutions based on the Global Learning framework.
A session dedicated to digital methods resulted in a structured strategy for compiling relevant corpora and a mixed-methods research pipeline for studying born-digital debates on digital policies. For data sources, we developed a comprehensive list of media outlets based on their relevance in the respective countries (reach and influence) as well as regarding their importance for the discussed topic of internet policy. Beyond focusing on legacy media, we also considered alternative media, in particular, blogs specialized in discussions of internet policy and technology, as well as independent journalism initiatives and social media platforms.