Safe Spaces & Free Speech: Effects of Moderation Policy on Structures of Online Forum Discussions

Abstract

Moderation policies of “free speech” and “safe space” have often been equated to low- and high-censorship levels. However, this paper proposes that moderation policies of “safe space” and “free speech” can also be thought of as a design choice that establishes norms of how individuals should treat each other in that discussion space. Analysis of word usage in matched Reddit communities provides evidence that safe spaces do have higher levels of censorship than free speech zones, and, furthermore, moderation also guides standards of politeness, which can be tracked through word frequency analysis.