The Nuances and Challenges of Moderating a Code Collaboration Platform

This presentation will offer a deep-dive into the platform moderation of GitHub and how its purpose and user group has driven it to develop unique approaches to content that differ from general purpose platforms. It will explore what makes a code collaboration platform different from other platforms, how addressing code as content influences GitHub’s content moderation approach, and how this approach is driven by the norms and needs of the software developer community. Using diverse case studies, we'll look at how GitHub has refined its approach to developer-first content moderation in response to technological and societal developments as well as notable incidents on the platform. This presentation is a condensed version of the recently published article, “Nuances and Challenges of Moderating a Code Collaboration Platform” authored by members of the GitHub Trust and Safety, Legal, and Policy teams.