Preserving Integrity in Online Social Networks

The goal of online social networks is to help create connections between people (online and offline), to connect people to communities of interest, and to provide a forum for advancing culture. Social networks advance these causes by providing a platform for free expression by anyone, whether they are well-known figures or your next-door neighbor. Unfortunately, open platforms for free expression can be used for malicious purposes. People and organizations can distribute misinformation and hate speech and can use the platform to commit crimes such as selling illegal drugs, coordinating sex trafficking, or child exploitation. All these violations existed much before the advent of social networks, but social networks exacerbate the scale and sophistication with which these activities can be carried out. Naturally, fighting these violations, which we collectively refer to as the problem of preserving integrity in online networks (or simply, integrity), has become a huge priority for the companies running them and for society at large. Setting policies for what content and behavior are allowed on social networks is an area fraught with debate because it involves striking a balance between free expression and removing offending content. In addition, the policies must be sensitive to a variety of cultures and political climates all over the world. While we touch on the policy backdrop, this survey focuses on the technical challenges that arise in enforcing the policies.