EFF Launches Tracking Global Online Censorship Project to Shine Light on How Content Moderation Affects Freedom of Expression Around the World

San Francisco—The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) today launched Tracking Global Online Censorship, a website project that provides comprehensive, in-depth information about how and why social media platforms remove users’ posts, how users can appeal these take down decisions, and how the practice affects freedom of expression across the globe.

Tracking Global Online Censorship is a multi-language tool and information hub for users, researchers, and policymakers to better understand the international restrictions on speech being put into place by Facebook, Google, Twitter, and other platforms that silence voices and deprive communities, especially marginalized groups and dissenters, of a means to communicate, network, and share their stories with the world.

Even before the pandemic, online speech and information gathering played a critical role in our everyday lives. As COVID-19 continues to keep many people physically apart, large social media platforms hosting online content continue to amass incredible power over what can and cannot be said online, with little accountability or oversight. Opaque, inconsistent moderation policies and erroneous take down decisions made at scale have had dire consequences.

Tracking Global Online Censorship shines a light on how this global censorship machine works, with information, research, links, and news from EFF and trusted partners.

“Our aim is to create awareness about the consequences of platform censorship, foster collaboration among advocacy organizations to combat international speech restrictions, and empower users and marginalized groups with the information they need to fight corporate suppression of free speech,” said EFF Director of International Freedom of Expression Jillian York.