Bans vs. Warning Labels: Examining Support for Community-wide Moderation Interventions
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Social media platforms like Facebook and Reddit host thousands of independently governed online communities. These platforms sanction communities that frequently violate platform policies; however, user perceptions of such sanctions remain unclear. In a pre-registered survey conducted in the US, I explore user perceptions of content moderation for communities that frequently feature hate speech, violent content, and sexually explicit content. Two community-wide moderation interventions are tested: (1) community bans, where all community posts and access to them are removed, and (2) community warning labels, where an interstitial warning label precedes access. I examine how third-person effects and support for free speech mediate user approval of these interventions. My findings show that presumed effects on others (PME3) is a significant predictor of backing for both interventions, while free speech beliefs significantly influence participants' inclination for using warning labels. I discuss the implications of these results for platform governance and free speech scholarship.
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