Digital Platform Policy Highlights - Digest 12
Verification, Labeling, Restrictions and (right to) Deletion. This digest covers a few interesting policies to encourage good behavior on platforms.
This post is part three of a series documenting policy changes and feature improvements introduced by platforms in April 2023.
TL;DR → Policy Changes to Curb Bad Behaviors (such as discrimination, service denial etc.) on the platforms include:
WhatsApp introducing device verification and account protect
Android mandating apps to have data deletion option
LinkedIn introduces a profile verification program for free
Microsoft’s LinkedIn has launched a free verification system that lets users prove their identity and workplace. Unlike Twitter and Meta, which charge a fee for their verification badges, LinkedIn offers three verification options based on open standards: using CLEAR, a biometric identity service, verifying work email addresses, or using Microsoft Entra, a digital ID platform. One may wonder about the rationale behind making this free. Arguably, online authenticity and trust are crucial for remote hiring and onboarding than for a personal social-network, where verification serves to boost influence/reach and/or signal status. Furthermore, LinkedIn does not want to cannibalize “LinkedIn Plus”, a product for influence and reach. (link)
Twitter Adds Labels to Hateful Tweets It Restricts
Despite the perception of a relaxed content moderation post becoming private, Twitter’s hate speech policy hasn’t really gone away. In April, Twitter has implemented a new feature that labels tweets that violate its hateful conduct policy and limits their visibility and reach from a wider audience. The labels inform users why the tweets are restricted and how they can access them if they choose to. This is an interesting take on balancing free speech, which Musk is an avid supporter of. In theory, this should enhance transparency by notifying users if their tweets are shadow-banned. However, this opens up a possibility for users to reverse-engineer what language/tone to use to avoid the labels. (link)
WhatsApp introduces device verification and account protect
To tighten security against malware, WhatsApp has announced multiple new measures including automatic security codes, device verification and “account protect”. This is a part of a process called “Key Transparency” which allows users to automatically verify that they have a secure connection and that no one is tampering with the users’ messages. Furthermore, these features protect against “taking over” the account by migrating WhatsApp account to another device or loading the message from WhatsApp server from outside the user’s device. Clearly, these features seem to protect users from highly sophisticated attackers, such as state actors (link)
Google bans digital lending apps from accessing user photos, etc.
Google has updated its policy for digital lending apps on the Play Store, prohibiting them from accessing sensitive data, such as photos, contacts, precise location of users This policy change reflects Google’s attempt to curb of physical intimidation. There were complaints against predatory lending apps for resorting to unethical recovery practices, such as blackmailing the borrower with sensitive images obtained from their phone or harassing their family and friends by accessing their contact list. Second, this policy may also hamper social network-based credit scoring. Research has shown that one’s social network defines their credit-worthiness. This is a significant step by Google to curb malicious behavior of digital lending apps and could help protect the privacy and safety of users. (link)
Google Requires Apps to Have Data Deletion Option
Google announced a new Play Store rule that will require apps that let users create an account to have a “readily discoverable option” for deleting their account and data, both in the app itself and on the web. The rule is meant to give users more control over their in-app data. As Google and other apps come under scrutiny for their data practices, the new Play Store rule could help shore up Google’s reputation on data privacy and security. Nevertheless, the company is playing catch-up: Apple implemented a similar rule for its App Store in June 2022 (link)
Research help from Anantesh Mohapatra and Yiran Liu (Thanks a ton, folks!)