Abstract:
How does moderation occur in digital discursive spaces? To answer this question that guides this investigation, we analyze how moderation is carried out in “Interactive Public Hearings” of the e-Democracia portal of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies. We used two data collection procedures: 1) content analysis of the messages posted by the chat room moderators, and (2) eight qualitative interviews conducted with managers and moderators of the digital hearings. The results show that, although the platform creators and managers agree that moderating the content of the hearings is important, for example by providing context to issues under discussion, the main forms of moderation employed involve managing interactions, such as receiving participants, providing information, and solving technical problems. Finally, the results indicate the need for greater coordination between the teams responsible for developing the portal and the moderators, and a clearer sense of the roles that moderation should fulfill.
Keywords:
Moderation; Digital discursive spaces; Interactive Public Hearings; e-Democracy; Legislatures