Date of Award
6-5-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Publisher
Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2025
Department
Computer Science and Engineering
First Advisor
Ahmed Amer
Abstract
The Internet is dominated by a handful of social media platforms that disproportionately control content curation and moderation. As a result, it is increasingly difficult for users to discern verified and credible information from misinformation and disinformation. Middleware is a specialized software with mechanisms to decentralize platform power and reinstate users with autonomy over their online experiences. We propose middleware that gives users the autonomy to create and consume authentic and trusted content. We achieved a proof of concept for a middleware with mechanisms for verifiable content posting and authentication. Our solution is implemented as a Chrome plug-in that provides users with the means to sign and verify content. The plug-in is not yet ready for deployment, so we recommend further development and testing before publication to the Chrome Web Store.
Recommended Citation
Lassiter, Mia and Aggarwal, Vani, "Ascertion: Middleware for Content Moderation" (2025). Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses. 311.
https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/cseng_senior/311
