Prerequisite: None

Exam Type: In Class

Social media platforms have transformed the creation and distribution of speech, enabling billions of people to communicate across borders in real time. Online expression has brought with it new opportunities for social connection, economic growth, and education, but it has also introduced new vectors for abuse, manipulation, and illegal activity. When does speech cross the line, and who should get to draw that line?

This course will examine how online speech is governed around the world, with a focus on platform design and content moderation systems, legal and regulatory approaches, and judicial interpretations of platform rights and responsibilities. We will look at how governance approaches address abuses and risks including hate speech, suicide and self-injury, child exploitation, and misinformation, among others. Students will examine how legal obligations are implemented in practice, and how institutional and political constraints shape regulatory outcomes. The course will also address high-stakes contexts, including elections, public health crises, and armed conflicts, as well as the growing role of artificial intelligence in producing and moderating speech.