ENCOURAGE USERS TO SPEAK FREELY

Promote diverse speech and speakers.

If your product or service allows users to interact with each other, it is in your best interest to encourage user expression. The more freedom your users have to express themselves freely, the more likely they are to interact deeply with your service, with lasting benefits to everyone involved.

ALLOW USERS TO ACCESS THE CONTENT THEY CHOOSE
Your users expect to be able to access the content they want. If they can’t do so and don’t understand why, they may express their outrage or simply take their business elsewhere. You can avoid this by making content available as a general rule.
Case Study

Zoom Tries to Blur its Own Background—Quietly Changes Terms of Service to Allow AI to Train on User Information

Case Study

Facebook Censors Expression of LGBTQ Love

Case Study

Google Applauded for Championing First Amendment

ALLOW USERS TO CONTROL THEIR RELATIONSHIPS AND INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS
By allowing users to tailor your service to their needs, you help them create an experience that maximizes their enjoyment of your service. Offering tools that enable users to manage the people they interact with can help nurture positive connections and reduce the effects of harmful behavior. Instead of diverting resources on moderators or complicated algorithms, empower users to make their own decisions.
Case Study

League of Legends Praised for Re-Engineering Chat to Reduce Harassment

Case Study

Etsy, YouTube, and Vimeo Commended for Encouraging Informal Resolutions

ALLOW USERS TO USE THIRD-PARTY SOFTWARE
Users consistently express outrage when ISPs, platforms, and similar services interfere with their ability to use third-party software that does not disrupt the functioning of the service. You can avoid controversy and demonstrate your support for your users by giving them the freedom to safely communicate using whatever application or tool they choose.
Case Study

Facebook Hailed for Launch of Tor Portal

Case Study

AT&T Accused of “Holding FaceTime Hostage”

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