Moderation data for 2024, and a push to talk policy with developers
GitHub has published updated moderation metrics for the full 2024 calendar year in its Transparency Center and the accompanying public repository. The release is part of a broader effort to keep the platform's governance open and to fold community input into the evolution of its site policies.
The company has long argued that its approach to content moderation is specific to the context of code collaboration. That positioning was laid out in detail in a paper published in the Journal of Online Trust and Safety, which examines the nuances of moderating a platform where the primary content is source code. In that work, GitHub has attempted to connect its internal practices to the broader research base on platform governance.
Now, the team is taking that discussion directly to the developer audience. At FOSDEM 2025, GitHub presented a session on how the norms and values of the FOSS community inform its moderation decisions; that talk is available to watch online. A similar presentation is scheduled for SCaLE 22x, the 22nd Annual Southern California Linux Expo, on March 8 in Pasadena, CA.
Where you can weigh in
Beyond attending events, GitHub is soliciting direct feedback from developers and maintainers on its policy work. Two repositories are open for that purpose:
- The site-policy repo is the channel for constructive ideas, questions, and suggestions on the platform's policies.
- The developer-policy repo covers public policy engagement, with a focus on issues that affect developers' rights to innovation, collaboration, and equal opportunity.
