Open research questions in Freedom of Expression and Defamation
72 gap statements mined from Freedom of Expression and Defamation papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 985 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.
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What the literature leaves open
The lack of clear regulations and guidelines for social media platforms to follow in cases of copyright infringement. The need for a balanced approach to protect copyright holders' rights and users' interests.
The novel characteristics of XR require new approaches to content moderation. The intensified psychological and social impacts of online harms in XR pose a challenge to content moderation. The lack of clear and transparent policies for content moderation is a challenge.
The paper acknowledges that it is not only Western and mainstream platforms that are worthy of scholarly attention. The analysis is limited to two platforms, VRChat and Horizon Worlds. The paper does not provide a comprehensive analysis of all social XR platforms.
The need for increased awareness and understanding of ethical behavior in social media use. The challenge of promoting ethical behavior in social media use in the Indonesian context.
The gap in understanding the exploitative intentions of these entities is also identified.
The intentional failure to disclose LLM use can deprive others of valuable information they need for their epistemic appraisal of another's authentic competencies. The use of LLMs can lead to negative perceptions of valued features of interpersonal communication.
There is a gap in the current literature regarding the ethical implications of undisclosed LLM use. The ethical implications of undisclosed LLM use during online interpersonal communications have seen little attention.
The paper identifies the challenge of developing content moderation systems that are accurate and fair. It highlights the challenge of balancing the need for content moderation with the need to protect user dignity and agency.
The paper suggests that future research should focus on developing more accurate and fair content moderation systems. It highlights the need for greater transparency in content moderation policies and enforcement.
The study identifies the challenge of limited facilities and capabilities of law enforcement officers.
Future research should focus on providing a comprehensive analysis of the digital evidence. Future research should focus on providing a detailed analysis of the obstacles faced by law enforcement officers.
The challenge of balancing parents' freedom to share information online with the need to protect children's privacy. The challenge of educating parents about the potential consequences of sharenting.
Future research should explore the long-term effects of sharenting on children's mental health. Future research should analyze the effectiveness of legal measures in protecting children from the harmful effects of sharenting.
Are corporations ever morally obligated to engage in counterspeech-that is, in speech that aims to counter hate speech and misinformation? While existing arguments in moral and political philosophy show that individuals and states have such obligations, it is an open question whether those arguments apply to corporations as well.
These accusations were scrutinized in a large scale investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that ended in early 2013 when the FTC concluded that there was insufficient evidence to bring an enforcement action against Google.
gMonopoly: Does Search Bias Warrant Antitrust or Regulatory Intervention? · 2013Although we do not dispute the RIAA's claim that the copying and distribution of proprietary music has cost the recording industry millions of dollars, we believe that other important ethical issues also need to be examined in the RIAA v.
Threat to democratic ideals in cyberspace lessons learned from the Verizon V. RIAA case · 2005 · DOIThe lack of effectiveness of the current statutes. The small number of cases available for analysis. The difficulty of identifying statistically significant predictor variables.
The threat of large punitive damage awards can lead to self-censorship in the media. The paper highlights the need for protection of constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of speech and press. The study discusses the challenge of balancing the need for punishment and deterrence with the need to protect free speech.
There is a lack of published research on the subject of punitive damages in media libel cases in scholarly journalism publications. The study aims to address this gap by exploring the legitimacy of punitive damages in media libel cases.
The decline in online ethics in Indonesia is a pressing issue that requires attention.
The study identifies a gap in the legal challenges associated with establishing a clear legal standard for the concept of low-quality content in contemporary legislation. The research highlights the difficulty of distinguishing between misinformation, disinformation, and legitimate speech within digital platforms.
Some of the reasons that necessitate the increase in predatory publishing in developing countries are; the lack of proper policies or guidance on where research articles should or should not be published, the failure to embrace open access initiatives for visibility and dissemination of research outputs so as to discourage academic malpractice and unethical behaviors, lack of funds, poor or limited information…
Predatory Publishing: A Catalyst of Misinformation and Disinformation Amongst Academicians and Learners in Developing Countries · 2022 · DOIFurther analysis of the effectiveness of whistleblowing statutes. Comparison of the effectiveness of different statutes. Analysis of the impact of the statutes on organizational behavior.
The paper identifies a gap in the application of the doctrine of compelled self-publication to employment contexts. The majority view still refuses to apply this doctrine in employment termination cases.
EMPOLOYEE REFERNECES: WILL A “NO COMMETNT” POLICY PROTECT EMPLOYERS AGASINST LIABILITY FOR DEFAMATION? · 1987 · DOIThe challenge of preventing the importation of electronic signals - The challenge of regulating the use of computer networks for the dissemination of hate messages - The challenge of balancing freedom of speech with the need to prevent the spread of racist…
Most-cited papers in Freedom of Expression and Defamation
- The Third-Person Effect in Communication · Public Opinion Quarterly · 1983 · 1,285 citations
- Disclaimers · American Sociological Review · 1975 · 553 citations
- The effects of perceived justice on complainants' negative word-of-mouth behavior and repatronage intentions · Journal of Retailing · 1993 · 422 citations
- Complaining to the Masses: The Role of Protest Framing in Customer-Created Complaint Web Sites · Journal of Consumer Research · 2006 · 392 citations
- Moral outrage in the digital age · Nature Human Behaviour · 2017 · 392 citations
- Social responsibility and corporate web pages: Self-presentation or agenda-setting? · Public Relations Review · 1998 · 391 citations
- Complaints About Transgressions and Misconduct · Research on Language and Social Interaction · 1998 · 347 citations
- Whistleblowing: A Restrictive Definition and Interpretation · Journal of Business Ethics · 1999 · 295 citations
- The Dynamics and Dilemmas of Collective Action · American Sociological Review · 1996 · 250 citations
- Handling complaints on social network sites – An analysis of complaints and complaint responses on Facebook and Twitter pages of large US companies · Public Relations Review · 2014 · 224 citations
Most recent work
- Is Undisclosed LLM Use Morally Wrong? · Philosophy & Technology · 2026
- Context is the most Important Factor: One-man Companies and Corporate Attribution in Singapore · SSRN Electronic Journal · 2026
- Defending fact-checking partnerships with platform companies: ‘We can't fight alone against disinformation’ · European Journal of Communication · 2026
- Comparative Insights on Social Media as an Atrocity Prevention Tool: Policy Implications · Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis Research and Practice · 2026
- K.G.M v. Meta et al & Corporate Liability for the Negative Effects of Social Media · University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst · 2026
- Liability of Social Media Platforms for Copyright Infringement · International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology · 2026
- Moderation lessons from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Overwatch: ensuring freedom of expression in online copyright enforcement through community involvement · Interactive Entertainment Law Review · 2026
- Penal Policy on Digital Defamation: A Comparative Study of Indonesian and Malaysian Law · IJCLS (Indonesian Journal of Criminal Law Studies) · 2026
- The Metrical Epilogue to the Pastoral Care , Psalm 1, and the Iconography of the Alfred Jewel · Notes and Queries · 2026
- Penggunaan Media Sosial terhadap Etika Profesi Hukum dan Integritas Praktisi Hukum · JURNAL HUKUM, POLITIK DAN ILMU SOSIAL · 2026
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