GitHub weighs in on updated content moderation standards
GitHub has contributed to the 2.0 update of the Santa Clara Principles on Transparency and Accountability in Content Moderation, a set of baseline standards first introduced in 2018 by a civil society coalition to guide platforms’ content moderation practices through a due process and human rights lens. GitHub is one of 12 major companies that publicly support the principles.
The original principles emphasized numbers, notice, and appeals as tools for ensuring moderation was “fair, unbiased, proportional, and respectful of users’ rights.” The 2.0 iteration expands on those operational principles and introduces five overarching foundational principles, including integrity and explainability, cultural competence, and state involvement. GitHub’s submission was informed by its developer-first, human-centered approach to content moderation, which prioritizes transparency in policies and enforcement actions, least-restrictive enforcement, and advocacy for developers’ rights.
Cultural competence
The updated principles state that “those making moderation and appeal decisions understand the language, culture, and political and social context of the posts they are moderating.” GitHub recommended that moderators possess language or cultural competency for content originating from regions different from their own, where relevant to the platform’s content and risk level. The company also suggested that platforms should be transparent about limitations in cultural competence, acknowledging that a platform’s size and resources can affect its ability to fully meet this standard.
Notice exceptions
On the Notice principle, GitHub argued that there should be circumstances where providing a detailed reason for moderation may be counterproductive. This exception could apply in cases like spam, phishing, or accounts created solely for purposes that violate a platform’s terms, since those users may not return to the account. The updated principles incorporate exceptions for some of these categories, though GitHub believes all users should receive notice even when the exception applies.
Government involvement
Regarding the new State Involvement in Content Moderation principle, GitHub responded to a consultation question about whether additional data disclosures could better mitigate human rights risks. GitHub suggested that platforms should publicly post the notices they act on when taking action against users based on a law. GitHub already publishes government requests for content removal and reports on Terms of Service enforcement actions where the original report originated with a government agency. The company’s position is that users should be informed and that specific, ongoing transparency is essential to good governance.
Looking ahead
GitHub approaches content moderation collaboratively, evolving policy alongside civil society, industry, and human rights frameworks. The company says it will continue to bring the open source software community’s perspective to platform policy development. The Santa Clara Principles 2.0 release includes toolkits for advocates and companies looking to adopt and promote the principles.
