Understanding the Psychology of Content Moderation
Now that you are more comfortable with the law of content moderation, let’s zoom in on the human side of the story. These slides will help you unpack the Katsaros, Nobo, and Tyler (2025) article you read for today’s class.
These slides are here to help you review and reinforce the research article! They are NOT a replacement for the doing the original reading!
As you review the article, consider how psychological research complements legal perspectives on content moderation:
Different Questions: While legal scholars focus on what platforms can or must do, social scientists examine what platforms should do to maintain user trust and community health.
Evidence-Based Approaches: Psychological research provides empirical evidence about which moderation practices are most effective and acceptable to users.
User-Centered Perspective: Social science research centers the experiences of users, while legal frameworks often prioritize platform rights and responsibilities.
Policy Implications: Consider how findings from this study might inform potential reforms to Section 230 or platform moderation policies.
This psychological perspective will be valuable as you complete the upcoming moderation simulation activity, where you’ll experience firsthand the challenges of applying both legal rules and psychological principles to content decisions.
Once you are ready, move on to the activity on the next page.