GIVE YOUR USERS A PLATFORM TO SPEAK FREELY
The Internet is a key catalyst of free expression around the world. As a result, companies that allow users to communicate with their friends and the world at large, express themselves as they see fit, and explore a wide variety of content attract passionate users and investors alike. Giving your users a forum to express their views, free from censorship and other limitations, can create a sense of place and community that enormously benefits your company as well as your users.
Encourage Users to Speak Freely
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. +Read more
Moderate Cautiously
If your product provides a forum for content or communication, consider carefully whether you want to be in the business of policing those forums. If you need to place limits on illegal or other harmful behavior, make sure your policies are as clear and narrow as possible and ensure that there are mechanisms in place to handle disputes with minimal disruption to expression on your service. +Read more
Promote Creativity
Even if your business model involves selling or otherwise monetizing content, consider the costs and consequences of aggressively asserting your rights to control the use or distribution of that content, whether through legal or technological means. The law gives you tools to enforce rights to your content, but with this power comes the responsibility to use it wisely. Encouraging your customers to use your content or service in new and innovative ways may attract more paying users, while limiting their ability to enjoy your service could drive them to less restrictive competitors. +Read more
Speak Up For Free Speech
To gain the respect of users as a champion for their free speech, you need to do more than just allow users to express themselves on your platform or service—you need to affirmatively protect them from third-party attempts to force you to remove their content or reveal their identities. Earning a reputation as a defender of your users’ rights can be a valuable way to build trust with your current users and attract new ones. +Read more