Content Regulation of Inappropriate User-Generated Video Content on Facebook Fanpages

Abstract

The research aimed to study 1) the characteristics of inappropriate video content generated by users on social media; 2) the current situation of content regulation regarding inappropriate user-generated content on social media; and 3) approaches for improving content regulation of user-generated content on social media in the context of Thai society. This was mixed-methods research. For the quantitative part, the content analysis sample was chosen through multi-stage sampling. It consisted of 116 user-generated video clips on 24 Facebook fan pages. The data were statistically analyzed using frequency and percentage. For the qualitative part, the method was an in-depth interview. The 9 key informants, chosen through purposive sampling, consisted of 3 individuals responsible for setting communication policies at government communications entities, 4 communication arts scholars, and 2 representatives of civil society organizations. Data were analyzed by drawing conclusions.

The results showed that 1) the most common types of inappropriate user-generated video content on the Facebook fan pages studied were the use of inappropriate language (curse words), followed by violence (adapting common objects to be weapons) and sexual content (exposing body parts or wearing revealing garments). 2) For the situation of inappropriate content regulation, the results showed that there is no government agency responsible for content regulation on social media platforms, and there is no law directly related to content regulation on social media. The government lacks resources to oversee social media content because it is vast and always increasing. In their content administration, the corporate owners of the social media platforms primarily follow the laws and the social and cultural norms of their countries of origin. In Thailand, there is not yet any professional organization responsible for overseeing social media content to make sure it is in line with ethical standards. The content screening systems of the platforms are currently inefficient. Civil society lacks power and is limited in its ability to use the laws to address inappropriate content on social media. Civil society organizations also face problems in coordinating with government agencies and other sectors. In addition, their personnel and financial resources are small compared to the volume of work. Social media users who generate content place more importance on the platform’s guidelines and revenue than on social responsibility. 3) Recommended approaches for improving content regulation are: When establishing communication policy and formulating legislation about content regulation, policymakers must consider the equilibrium among media, society, and national culture. They should cooperate with other sectors to work on content regulation. Legislation must be revised to align with technology advancements and consider their effects on youth. The corporate social media platform owners and their offices in Thailand should be legally required to join with a Thai government agency to set content administration policy and oversee content administration operations. Civil society organizations should work in partnership and set up a consumer federation as a mechanism to make content administration more efficient. They should promote the concepts of digital humanitarianism and digital intelligence among UGC.