Censoring and restricting in the digital age

As of 2024, over 5 billion people actively use social media, reshaping how we communicate, share information, and, just in general, connect with one another. During a time when a tweet can cause movements and a post can greatly affect public opinion, the power of social media is as great as it’s ever been. But with this power also come questions about censorship and restrictions.

I happen to be a part of this group of people, as do most teenagers living in the year 2024 with a device. As soon as I wake up, I first check my phone to see if anyone has interacted with one of my posts or messaged me. Even when I tell myself that I’m going to study or get work done, I still find myself scrolling on social media. Before bed, I can’t help but pull out my phone and continue scrolling, which leads to me staying up for hours after I planned to go to sleep.

I’m sure many others fall victim to this same habit, and it seems that social media companies notice the control their apps have over our lives. While it is great that we can connect and spread information so efficiently, as a result of being on these apps for a good portion of our day, we shape our opinions based on what we see.

It is no secret that this allows people to go and spread information that may be false or untruthful, which can be harmful to one’s view on a topic, but it is our choice to believe or not believe these things. What we can’t control is the the things we see that can be harmful whether we believe in it or not. This is where censorship and restrictions come into play.

Social media companies’ job is to crack down on things that can be potentially harmful to the viewer by censoring and setting restrictions. The question then becomes: what things fall under this category? Well, that is up to the company and what they believe to be harmful.

For example, Instagram’s community guidelines list the rules you must follow while using the app: no photos or videos that you do not have the right to share, post things that are appropriate for all audiences, no spam content, follow the law, respect others, and no supporting self-injury. They also mention being thoughtful when posting newsworthy events but do not enforce it.

While these rules are important in keeping the app safe and the “community strong,” it is just the groundwork of Instagram’s censorship and restrictions, much like other social media apps. Since then, Instagram has added many more rules to improve their app. Just this year, Instagram has set up new restrictions regarding teens and what they can do on the app.

As a teenager who uses Instagram under an 18+ account, I feel that the restrictions are useless, and many experts agree, saying that teens will find a way around the age verification. The team at Meta responded to this notion, stating that they are expanding their efforts to verify the age of teen users. On the other hand, many others applaud the app for setting the restrictions as they make a meaningful step towards preventing teen harm.

Much like Instagram, TikTok has rules that everyone using the app is expected to follow. But unlike many other apps, TikTok gives its viewers a lot of say in what is harmful or not. They allow viewers to report a post, comment, or even an account as a whole, which is nothing out of the ordinary. The problem is that they don’t look much into the reports but instead cut straight to taking the post, comment, or account down.

This means people can report an account or video because they dislike or disagree with it, whether they violate the guidelines or not. Several large creators have been removed from the app because people have decided to mass-report their accounts for no apparent reason. I even know some people who have had their videos taken down for simply “not being eligible for FYP” with no given reason.

Censorship and restrictions are in the hands of these social media companies (or, in some cases, the viewers). This raises significant questions about freedom of expression and social media’s role in shaping public opinion. While apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have guidelines to manage harmful content, their algorithms favor engagement over accuracy, which can suppress diverse viewpoints on a topic. However, on apps like TikTok, viewers have their own power when reporting things they find offensive or disagreeable, which can affect legitimate points.

There is a fine line between maintaining a safe environment and allowing freedom, and these companies must navigate that line. Although social media has been around for over twenty years, censorship and restrictions remain a serious problem.