Shifting responsibilities? Understanding implications of platform regulation by analyzing the discourse in light of the EU Digital Services Act

Abstract

This research aims to understand the main tensions around platform regulation in the European Union, in specific regards to hate speech moderation. In deploying critical discourse analysis by Gee, I want to understand how three different stakeholder groups (European Commission, Facebook and third-party-actors OHCHR and EDRi) voice their opinion around this topic. In doing so, I aim to establish a nuanced approach towards discourse on platform regulation that showcases tensions around governance procedures. As the analysis shows, actors in the discourse do not necessarily argue about the concept of regulation but specific governance-based solutions (that could be possibly regulated). Here, the question of responsibility was established as one of the focal-points of the discussion: Who should be given the responsibility to police on platforms and to what extent are guidelines influenced by regulatory bodies? In this regard, the Commission as well as Facebook showcased a certain tendency towards techno-determinist approaches, while third-party stakeholders (EDRi and OHCHR) emphasized the importance of human agency. Finally, this research aims to expand on the existing academic debate on platform-governance that takes the current discussion and standpoints of the actors into account.