Interrogating content moderation systems in indigenous and low-resource languages of the Global South
Date
Time
Location
Online
Date: Thursday, August 7th, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM (EST)
How do content moderation systems operate in non-English contexts, particularly low-resource languages of the Majority World? While there is a growing body of research on content moderation systems and their impacts, much of this research approaches the problem with a Western lens. In this webinar we discuss results from a recently concluded Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) research project that addressed this question using four case studies: Maghrebi Arabic, Kiswahili, Tamil, and Quechua. We present an overview of our findings and recommendations for how content moderation systems could better operate for low-resource and indigenous languages and the populations that post on social media in these languages. We also examine the capabilities and limitations of using large language models as part of these content moderation systems.
To explore these themes in more detail the webinar will feature a series of one on one conversations between CDT researchers and civil society representatives from the Global South. Live interpretation will be available in English, Swahili, Arabic, and Spanish.
Please join us to learn more and discuss how we can make content moderation on social media more equitable across languages.
Featured Speakers:
- Aliya Bhatia, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Democracy & Technology
- Amrita Sengupta, BRICS Fellow & Former Research and Program Lead, Centre for Internet and Society (India)
- DeVan Hankerson Madrigal, Research Manager, Center for Democracy & Technology
- Dhanaraj Thakur, Research Director, Center for Democracy & Technology
- Dilmar Villena, Executive Director, Hiperderecho (Peru)
- Emna Mizouni, Founder CEO, Digital Citizenship (Tunisia)
- Miriam Beatrice Wanjiru, Program Officer, Paradigm Initiative (Nigeria)
- Mona Elswah, Lecturer in Digital Media Governance, University of Exeter & Former CDT Project Fellow
Accessibility: If you have questions, concerns, or access needs, please contact [email protected] in advance of the event.