The negative impacts of social media have given rise to philosophical questions around whether social media companies have the authority to regulate user-generated content on their platforms. The most popular justification for that authority is to appeal to private ownership rights. Social media companies own their platforms, and their ownership comes with various rights that ground their authority to moderate user-generated content on their platforms. However, we argue that ownership rights can be limited when their exercise results in significant harms (...) to others or the perpetration of injustices. We outline some of the substantive harms that social media platforms inflict through their practices of content moderation and some of the procedural injustices that arise through their arbitrary application of community guidelines. This provides a normative basis for calls to better regulate user-generated content on social media platforms. We conclude by considering some of the political and legal implications of our argument. (shrink)

Generative AI technologies have the potential to be socially and politically transformative. In this paper, we focus on exploring the potential impacts that Generative AI could have on the functioning of our democracies and the nature of citizenship. We do so by drawing on accounts of deliberative democracy and the deliberative virtues associated with it, as well as the reciprocal impacts that social media and Generative AI will have on each other and the broader information landscape. Drawing on this background (...) theory, we outline some of the key positive and negative impacts that Generative AI is likely to have on democratic citizenship. The political significance of these impacts suggests the need for further regulation. (shrink)

The rapid growth of cloud computing has revolutionized how businesses and individuals store and access data. However, as the digital landscape expands, it becomes increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats. This paper delves into the security challenges and solutions in cloud computing, exploring various risks including data breaches, service interruptions, and unauthorized access. We examine the layers of security measures required to protect data in cloud environments, from encryption and authentication protocols to network security and compliance frameworks. By emphasizing proactive security (...) measures and emerging technologies, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how to secure the cloud and its evolving infrastructure. Furthermore, the role of cloud service providers, regulatory standards, and the future of cloud security in the context of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning are also discussed. (shrink)