Collaborative Research: IIS: HCC: Small: The New Gatekeepers: Content Moderation and Information Threats in Local Communities

该项目绘制了志愿者版主如何作为当地公民信息的守门人和在线当地社区团体内信息威胁的第一反应者。这是建立有效工具（社会，技术和政策）的关键第一步，这些工具可以支持在线社区团体的版主努力应对信息污染造成的威胁。美国社区的居民越来越多地依靠以地理为重点的在线团体来获取当地信息。这些当地团体有潜力通过帮助居民了解他们的社区，与邻居和当地组织联系，并确定重要的当地问题，来提高美国社区的生活质量。然而，这些群体面临着信息质量的重大威胁，包括错误/虚假信息活动，不文明和拖钓。在线社区组的版主通常是未经训练的志愿者，他们充当第一道防线。然而，它们只提供了一套有限的工具和做法来缓解威胁。因此，版主在应对信息威胁时处于一个脆弱的位置，同时引导平台自身运作的变化，快速发展的用户实践，以及当地问题的日益政治化。本项目有三个目标：（1）评估平台公司如何准备当地组版主面对信息威胁;（2）了解本地组版主在日常实践中如何管理信息威胁;（3）了解版主在信息质量威胁增加期间如何应对挑战。这项研究的结果将扩大我们的知识，如何更好地支持数字平台上的志愿者版主，因为他们被要求在日益复杂的地方信息基础设施中充当一种新的看门人。该项目通过（1）分析三家平台公司为版主提供的工具和培训：Facebook，Nextdoor和Reddit;（2）与当地团体的版主进行为期八周的异步远程社区研究;（3）后续访谈研究，检查版主在高级别信息威胁条件下的做法。该奖项体现了NSF的法定使命，通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响力审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project maps how volunteer moderators are functioning as gatekeepers of local civic information and first responders to information threats within online local community groups. This is a crucial first step toward building effective tools (social, technological, and policy) that can support moderators of online community groups in their efforts to respond to the threats caused by information pollution. Residents of American communities increasingly rely on geographically focused online groups to access local information. These local groups have the potential to enhance the quality of life in American communities by helping residents learn about their communities, connect with neighbors and local organizations, and identify important local issues. However, these groups face significant threats to information quality, including mis/disinformation campaigns, incivility, and trolling. Moderators of online community groups are typically untrained volunteers who serve as a first line of defense. However, they are provided only a limited set of tools and practices for threat mitigation. As a result, moderators are in a tenuous position to respond to information threats while simultaneously navigating change in the workings of platforms themselves, rapidly evolving user practices, and the increasing politicization of local issues.This project has three goals: (1) assessing how well platform companies prepare local group moderators to face information threats; (2) understanding how local group moderators manage information threats in their everyday practices; (3) understanding how moderator practices respond to challenges during periods of increased information quality threat. The results of this research will expand our knowledge of how to better support volunteer moderators on digital platforms as they are asked to function as a new kind of gatekeeper in increasingly complex local information infrastructures. The project does this through (1) an analysis of the tools and trainings provided to moderators by three platform companies: Facebook, Nextdoor, and Reddit; (2) an eight-week asynchronous remote community study with moderators of local groups; and (3) a follow-up interview study examining moderator practices during conditions of high-levels of information threat. This involves grappling with platform design and affordances, as well as social practices, behaviors, and competencies, so as to inform human-computer interaction, information science, and public policy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.