Tech Policy Lab Partners With Beyond the Screen to Build a Safer Online Space

Following the launch of Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen’s non-profit, Beyond the Screen, researchers in the Technology Policy Lab at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy have joined forces with Beyond the Screen to spend the summer as Fellows, examining harms caused by social media. Duke Fellows, along with Fellows from Georgetown University, are collaborating on a forthcoming Wiki to itemize the harms of social platforms and levers to prevent those harms to start building a shared understanding. Creating this context of accountability will describe what “good” can look like for social platforms, and pave the way for product safety regulation. Duke Fellows receive funding through Duke University’s Applied Ethics+ Program. 

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About Beyond the Screen: Beyond the Screen researches and documents harms of social media and strategies to alleviate those harms in public online spaces to organize subject matter expertise and invite casual social media users to join conversations about improving social media. The mission is to inform, educate, and inspire social media users from all walks of life to advocate for real change to social platforms. Though billions of people use social platforms, these platforms operate with minimal transparency so few people deeply understand how they work. We believe that there can be social media that fosters safe and healthy online environments, but this will only happen with informed and empowered advocates

About the Technology Policy Lab: The goal of the Technology Policy Lab is to provide a platform for Duke Sanford researchers, faculty, and students, to promote timely research and insights; stimulate scholarship in the technology-policy area; and bridge the gap between long-term research and real-world application. The Lab focuses on both stakeholder engagement and research. Learn more about The Tech Policy Lab's recent work.