Study title

United Kingdom

Individual

Organization

The Delphi panel exercise was run to the solicit the informed opinion of relevant stakeholders on the appropriate steps needed to regulate social media in order to prevent or limit the spread of harmful content such as hate speech, malicious campaigns and rumour. It consisted of three rounds. Round 1(N=19) presented a short series of open questions and invited to participants to submit free text responses over email. Rounds 2(N=17) and 3(N=13) were sent to the same set of participants via an online survey platform. Each of these rounds included a report on the overall outcomes of the previous round and a series of questions (open and closed) that solicited opinion on specific issues arising from the previous round. In this way the cumulative rounds of the Delphi sought to identify areas of consensus between participants. Participants came from 4 groups: lawyers, social media users, staff members at social media platforms and staff at institutions (education, government etc.)Fieldwork interviews (N=12) were carried out with professionals whose work involves dealing with harmful social media content in some capacity. For instance, teachers, law enforcement agents and equality organisations. A semi structured interview schedule was used as follows: (1) Background issues work role, time in work role, day to day activities, nature of role in the fieldwork organisation, structure of the organisation. (2) Social media relevance of social media to everyday work in individual role; relevance of social media to work of organisation overall; types of social media relevant to work; ways in which social media platforms are monitored and/or used in individual work role and by organisation. (3) Digital wildfires participant’s own understanding of digital wildfires and perceptions of their work relevant consequences; instances in which digital wildfires that participant has observed when in this role; ways in which the participant and overall organisation dealt with the digital wildfire and its consequences; opportunities and challenges presented to the participant’s organisation and role by digital wildfires. (4) Governance how participant feels digital wildfires can be governed effectively; role in governance for individual users, social media companies, the police and law, other agencies; resources needed to promote effective governance; challenges and opportunities for effective governance; the difference effective governance will make for the participant’s organisation and own role.