Dr. phil. Charlotte Spencer-Smith M.A.I.S
Postdoc (University of Klagenfurt)
Institute for Comparative Media and Communication Studies (CMC)
Austrian Academy of Sciences / University of Klagenfurt
1010 Wien, Bäckerstraße 13 / 1. Stock, Austria
Phone (+43) 1 51581–3121
Email: charlotte.spencer-smith(at)oeaw.ac.at
Charlotte Spencer-Smith on ORCID
Website: https://www.charlottespencersmith.page/
Charlotte Spencer-Smith is a postdoctoral researcher in the research group “Media Accountability and Media Change”. Her research focusses on content governance on digital platforms. She leads the CMC research track “Platform Governance in the AI Era”, investigating the governance of social media and generative AI platforms, as well as emerging transparency measures under the European Digital Services Act. She wrote her doctorate at the University of Salzburg on ‘shadowbanning’ or visibility measures as a content moderation measure on social media platforms. She has also performed research on the content moderation needs of Mastodon servers and how coronavirus conspiracy theorists view content moderation. Previously, she worked as a pre-doctoral researcher at the CMC investigating algorithmic harms on social media platforms.
Research Interests
Algorithms & AI, platform governance, social media
Current Projects
Platform Governance in the AI Era
Completed projects
Triple A: Algorithms, Automation and Accountability
Acadamic Education and Professional Career
2020-2025 Doctoral studies in Communication Studies, University of Salzburg; (Thesis: 'Algorithmic suppression: Not being recommended as a content moderation measure on social media platforms')
2008-2010 Masters degree in Advanced International Studies, Diplomatic Academy of Vienna
2005-2008 Bachelors degree in Politics, Durham University, United Kingdom
Professional career
2020-2024 Doctoral researcher, Center for ICT&S, Department of Communication Studies, University of Salzburg
2018-2019 Project research assistant, Institute for Comparative Media & Communication Studies (CMC), Austrian Academy of Sciences
2017 Content marketer, Juno GmbH, Vienna
2015-2017 Content marketer, POOL4TOOL, Vienna
2014 Assistant, Comprehensive Test-Ban-Treaty Organization, Vienna
2011-2013 Consultant, Comprehensive Test-Ban-Treaty Organization, Vienna
Memberships in professional organizations
Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR)
TikTok Cultures Research Network
Publications
Peer-reviewed articles
Saurwein, Florian & Spencer-Smith, Charlotte. (2021). Automated Trouble: The Role of Algorithmic Selection in Harms on Social Media Platforms. Media and Communication, 9(4), 22-233.
Saurwein, Florian & Spencer-Smith, Charlotte. (2020) Combating Disinformation on Social Media: Multilevel Governance and Distributed Accountability in Europe. Digital Journalism. DOI: 10.1080/21670811.2020.1765401
Other articles and book chapters
Saurwein, Florian, Spencer-Smith, Charlotte & Krieger-Lamina, Jaro. (2022). Social-Media-Algorithmen als Gefahr für Öffentlichkeit und Demokratie: Anwendungen, Risikoassemblagen und Verantwortungszuschreibungen. In A. Bogner, M. Decker, M. Nentwich & C. Scherz (Hg.), Konferenzbeiträge der NTA9-TA21 Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlag, 243-256.
Saurwein, Florian & Spencer-Smith, Charlotte. (2020). Regulierung von Internet-Inhalten: Verantwortlichkeit jenseits der Providerhaftung. Medienjournal-Zeitschrift für Medien-und Kommunikationsforschung, 43(4), 40-62.
Research papers
Iramina, Alina, Spencer-Smith, Charlotte & Yan, Wai. (2020). Disclosure Rules for Algorithmic Content Moderation [Policy Brief]: A call for a multi-level transparency regime for social media platforms. (Research Sprint Output, Humboldt Institut für Internet & Gesellschaft).
Saurwein, Florian & Spencer-Smith, Charlotte (2019). „Inhaltsregulierung auf Internet-Plattformen: Optionen für verantwortungsorientierte Governance auf nationaler Ebene”. CMC Research Report No. 11.
Lectures
Other lectures
15/11/2024, Salzburg
Spencer-Smith, C.
Tomaz, T.
Labour pains: content moderation challenges in Mastodon growth across North and South communities
Jahrestagung der DGPuK-Fachgruppe Internationale & Interkulturelle Kommunikation 2024
31/10/2024, Sheffield
Spencer-Smith, C.
Drüeke, R.
Peil, C.
'They will destroy Telegram' – Narratives of platform censorship in the German-speaking COVID-19 conspiracy community on Telegram
2024 Association of Internet Researchers Conference
10/10/2023 Vienna
Spencer-Smith, C.
Nicht-empfohlen-Werden auf Social-Media-Plattformen
Digikomm DGPuK
3/4/2023 Online
Spencer-Smith, C.
Algorithmic Reach Reduction: Platform Accounts of Motivations, Implementation and Effects
Platform Governance Network
16/11/2022 Bern
Spencer-Smith, C.
Algorithmische Depriorisierung: Nicht-empfohlen-Werden als inhaltsregulierende Maßnahme auf Social-Media-Plattformen
NTA10: Gestreamt, gelikt, flüchtig – schöne neue Kulturwelt?
11/05/2021 Online
Saurwein, F.
Spencer-Smith, C.
Krieger-Lamina, J.
Internet-Algorithmen als Gefahr für Öffentlichkeit und Demokratie – Optionen für Risikoanalysen und Konsequenzen für Verantwortungszuschreibung
NTA9-TA21: Digital, Direkt, Demokratisch? Technikfolgenabschätzung und die Zukunft der Demokratie
07/11/2019 Berlin
Saurwein, F.
Spencer-Smith, C.
Krieger-Lamina, J.
Automated trouble: The role of algorithmic selection in the emergence of harms on social media
Digikomm DGPuK
05/05/2019 Graz
Saurwein, F.
Spencer-Smith, C.
Krieger-Lamina, J.
Algorithmic Selection in Social Media: Risks and Industry Governance
18th Annual STS Conference Graz 2019: “Critical Issues in Science, Technology and Society Studies“
Books and Monographs
Peer-Reviewed Articles and Book Chapters
Other Articles and Book Chapters
Research Papers
- Inhaltsregulierung auf Internet-Plattformen: Optionen für verantwortungsorientierte Governance auf nationaler Ebene [Content Regulation on Internet Platforms: Options for Responsibility Orientated Governance on the national level] CMC Research Paper No. 12. / Saurwein, Florian; Spencer-Smith, Charlotte.
Wien, 2019.
Popular Articles and Book Chapters
Keynotes
Invited Lectures
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N/A
Governing Discourse: Gender, Alignment and the Normativity of Generative AI
Spencer-Smith, C. (Speaker), Drüeke, R. (Speaker) & Peil, C. (Speaker)
1 Dec 2025 -
Berlin
Sie bereiten die Löschung von Telegram vor! Zensurnarrative der Querdenker-Bewegung zur Inhalts- moderation auf Facebook, Telegram und YouTube
Spencer-Smith, C. (Speaker), Peil, C. (Speaker) & Drüeke, R. (Speaker)
20 May 2025
Other Lectures
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Taipei
Rethinking AI governance in public service media
Rathmann, M. (Speaker), Spencer-Smith, C. (Speaker) & Eberwein, T. (Speaker)
20 Oct 2026 → 23 Oct 2026
Popular Lectures
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Online
Social Media und der Hass im Netz – Wie Algorithmen unsere digitale Öffentlichkeit beeinflussen [Social media and online hate – how algorithms shape digital public life]
Spencer-Smith, C. (Speaker)
9 Dec 2025