Is de-platÂformÂing a sound pubÂlic relaÂtions strategy?
De-platÂformÂing is one of the most aggressÂive tools that an online modÂerÂatÂor can utilise.
Should an online modÂerÂatÂor use this tool, whethÂer it’s a social netÂwork restrictÂing user accounts or an organÂisaÂtion deletÂing comÂments? The short answer is … maybe.
When is de-platÂformÂing a sound course of action from a PR perspective?
Analysing the Situation
Whether or not an organÂisaÂtion should attempt to de-platÂform depends on how your organÂisaÂtion would answer three questions:
A Rational Understanding
By askÂing three funÂdaÂmentÂal quesÂtions, you’ll get a sense of what kind of scenÂario your organÂisaÂtion is dealÂing with. De-platÂformÂing is typÂicÂally assoÂciÂated with raw emoÂtion (anger, sadÂness, frusÂtraÂtion etc.), so it’s advisÂable to approach the situÂation rationally.
1. Is the de-platforming grounded in a publicly accessible policy?
Suppose a social netÂwork shuts down an account based on user behaÂviour that violÂates their terms of conÂdiÂtions. In that case, in states that violÂate laws or regÂuÂlaÂtions, a social netÂwork has every prerogÂatÂive to end that account.
Why have conÂdiÂtions if they aren’t being enforced?
Afterwards, the susÂpenÂded user can press charges against the social netÂwork. Still, if the violÂaÂtion is docÂuÂmented and the terms of conÂdiÂtions are lawÂfully comÂpliÂant, there’s not much more to be said about such a termination.
This is a relÂevÂant insight for PR departÂments as well:
It’s good pracÂtice to put great effort into your policies. Because you should modÂerÂate your online chanÂnels fiercely, you should elimÂinÂate unwanted subÂscribers on your email lists. You should remove comÂments that disÂrespect the rules of engageÂment your brand has put forth. Delete, block, ban — whatever tools you have, use them.
And therein lies the propÂer underÂstandÂing of chalÂlenÂging and comÂplex matÂters like these.
In your policies, you wouldÂn’t state that you’re going to delete, block, or ban conÂtent or users just because you feel like it. If you remove people because you canÂnot face their truths conÂveyed facÂtuÂally and respectÂfully, then you don’t have a troll probÂlem. You have a culÂturÂal manÂageÂment probÂlem that you must address first.
2. Is the de-platforming a response to abuse of general democratic principles or criminal behaviour?
Don’t get me wrong. I’m firmly against canÂcel culÂture in genÂerÂal — and de-platÂformÂing in particular.
Yes, loud minorÂitÂies will fire each othÂer up and find safety in numÂbers for othÂerÂwise socially less acceptÂable posÂiÂtions. Algorithmic filÂter bubbles will genÂerÂate online echo chamÂbers that ampÂliÂfy the bandÂwagÂon effect.
But the uncomÂfortÂable hypoÂthesÂis here is that we can only grow as demoÂcratÂic sociÂetÂies if we colÂlectÂively decide to hash these difÂferÂences out using comÂmuÂnicÂaÂtion instead of violence.
In crude terms, comÂmuÂnicÂaÂtion and violÂence are humanÂity’s only tools for negoÂtiÂatÂing power. Violence — or the threat of it — has been a funÂdaÂmentÂal realÂity throughÂout hisÂtory. And comÂmuÂnicÂaÂtion is the bedÂrock of our civilisation.
Violence, used as a form of negoÂtiÂatÂing power, is more preÂvalÂent in our demoÂcratÂic sociÂetÂies than we might think. Refuse to comÂply with any form of demoÂcratÂic legisÂlaÂtion for long enough, howÂever subtle the refusÂal, or howÂever minor the non-comÂpliÂance, someone with a fireÂarm and govÂernÂmentÂal authorÂity will evenÂtuÂally show up at your doorstep.
To mitÂigÂate peace (as in the absence of violÂence) through comÂmuÂnicÂaÂtion must, by inherÂent design, be upheld by a majorÂity posÂiÂtion. This is also why demoÂcracy is an actÂive state of affairs; demoÂcracy must be reinÂforced by its conÂstituÂents on a recurÂrent basis.
In a demoÂcratÂic sociÂety, canÂcelled culÂture and de-platÂform expresÂsions of violÂence — not comÂmuÂnicÂaÂtion. They are inherÂently anti-demoÂcratÂic measures.
Yes, allowÂing groups with someÂtimes anti-demoÂcratÂic agenÂdas to comÂmuÂnicÂate freely exposes our demoÂcraÂcies to violÂent alternÂatÂives. But one would be misÂtaken to think of demoÂcraÂcies as weak.
The cost of freeÂdom is preÂcisely that — a cost.
If someone is instigÂatÂing violÂence against demoÂcratÂic prinÂciples negoÂtiÂated via variÂous forms of comÂmuÂnicÂaÂtion, the demoÂcracy has been givÂen the full manÂdate of its conÂstituÂents to defend those prinÂciples — also with violence.
So, de-platÂformÂing is most defÂinÂitely a demoÂcratÂic tool when comÂmuÂnicÂaÂtion breaks down and is replaced by violÂence or instigation.
3. Will the PR effects of de-platforming hurt the organization both short- and long-term?
Deplatforming is a final pubÂlic relaÂtions chalÂlenge. If the account ownÂer or conÂtent creÂatÂor feels wrongÂfully punÂished, that relaÂtionÂship might escalÂate beyÂond repair immeÂdiÂately. Being de-platÂformed is often tied with a strong emoÂtionÂal response.
Such a broken-down relaÂtionÂship might scale socially if the account ownÂer is folÂlowed by like-minded peers who can become highly vocal and actÂive adversaries.
There is also conÂsidÂerÂable potenÂtial blowÂback in decidÂing not to shut down a speÂcifÂic account. Many accounts, espeÂcially politÂicÂal ones, creÂate diviÂsion and spark debates. When such reports step over the line, there will be blowÂback from disÂgruntled interests either way.
Potentially adverse PR effects should be a sigÂniÂficÂant conÂsidÂerÂaÂtion in decidÂing when to de-platÂform and creÂate and revise the pubÂlic policy.
De-Platforming Scenarios
When conÂsidÂerÂing de-platÂform someone, you can use these scenÂariÂos to determÂine the right course of action:
Scenario 1 — “Should Twitter de-platÂform Donald Trump after the attack on Capitolium?”
Breach of pubÂlicly accessÂible policy: YES
Abuse of demoÂcratÂic prinÂciples or crimÂinÂal behaÂviour: YES
Potential adverse PR effects: YES
Deplatforming is necesÂsary, desÂpite potenÂtially harmÂful PR effects.
Scenario 2 — “Should sciÂence organÂisaÂtions push to de-platÂform Flat Earth proÂpaÂganda accounts?”
Breach of pubÂlicly accessÂible policy: YES
Abuse of demoÂcratÂic prinÂciples or crimÂinÂal behaÂviour: NO
Potential negÂatÂive PR effects: NO
Deplatforming is posÂsible, but it should be used with cauÂtion. It’s genÂerÂally betÂter to incorÂporÂate sysÂtems for warnÂings and temÂporÂary suspensions.
Scenario 3 — “Should Facebook de-platÂform whisÂtleblower Frances Haugen?”
Breach of pubÂlicly accessÂible policy: NO
Abuse of demoÂcratÂic prinÂciples or crimÂinÂal behaÂviour: NO
Potential negÂatÂive PR effects: YES
Not enough grounds for de-platÂformÂing, but the policy should probÂably be revised.
Scenario 4 — “Should Instagram shadÂowÂban Influencers using variÂous softÂware to gain followers?”
Breach of pubÂlicly accessÂible policy: YES
Abuse of demoÂcratÂic prinÂciples or crimÂinÂal behaÂviour: NO
Potential negÂatÂive PR effects: YES
The policy might need reviÂsion, but it’s often more likely that parts of the comÂmunity or othÂer interest groups don’t respect your policy. De-platÂformÂing must be weighed against potenÂtially negÂatÂive PR effects. A long-term effort to restore respect in your policy should be a priority.
Scenario 5 — “Should govÂernÂments advise social netÂworks to close down quesÂtionÂable accounts?”
Breach of pubÂlicly accessÂible policy: NO
Abuse of demoÂcratÂic prinÂciples or crimÂinÂal behaÂviour: MAYBE
Potential negÂatÂive PR effects: MAYBE
We don’t exactly know how to deal with this scenÂario yet — but legisÂlatÂive presÂsures are buildÂing up globÂally, and it’s movÂing in the dirÂecÂtion of makÂing the platÂform proÂvider accountÂable for the actions perÂpetÂrated by its users. However, the existÂing policy must be revised.
Scenario 6 — “Should algorithms and filÂters use AI to autoÂmatÂicÂally detect and de-platÂform accounts?”
Breach of a sound and pubÂlicly accessÂible policy: MAYBE
Abuse of demoÂcratÂic prinÂciples or crimÂinÂal behaÂviour: MAYBE
Potential adverse PR effects: PROBABLY
Today, mass modÂerÂaÂtion is a monuÂmentÂal techÂnoÂloÂgicÂal chalÂlenge. Automated filÂters are conÂstantly getÂting it wrong both ways, but they might be our only way of manÂaging larÂger volumes. Warnings, temÂporÂary susÂpenÂsions, and othÂer tools are probÂably preferÂable to de-platforming.
A Complex PR Matter
De-platÂformÂing is, without a doubt, a comÂplex matÂter in PR.
On the one hand, we have a rampant canÂcel culÂture that hurts free speech (and, by extenÂsion, all straÂtegic PR work) in the long term.
On the othÂer hand, organÂisaÂtions must have integÂrity and fight back whenevÂer their brands are attacked.
To make the situÂation even more comÂplex, we have a probÂlem where autonomÂous tech giants estabÂlish rules as they see fit.
So, when it comes to de-platÂformÂing, the answer still has to be … maybe.
Please supÂport my blog by sharÂing it with othÂer PR- and comÂmuÂnicÂaÂtion proÂfesÂsionÂals. For quesÂtions or PR supÂport, conÂtact me via jerry@​spinfactory.​com.