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Main Author: Touny, Kariema El
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.08877
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author Touny, Kariema El
author_facet Touny, Kariema El
contents This paper examines refusal behavior in generative AI systems through a governance lens. Drawing on historical frameworks of censorship and contemporary design logics, it argues that refusal is not a neutral safeguard but a site of power, shaped by institutional risk management and opaque decision-making. The analysis concludes with user-centered recommendations for ethical refusal design. Keywords: Generative AI governance, AI refusal behavior, Censorship, Ethical design
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_08877
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Silenced by Design Censorship, Governance, and the Politics of Access in Generative AI Refusal Behavior
Touny, Kariema El
Computers and Society
This paper examines refusal behavior in generative AI systems through a governance lens. Drawing on historical frameworks of censorship and contemporary design logics, it argues that refusal is not a neutral safeguard but a site of power, shaped by institutional risk management and opaque decision-making. The analysis concludes with user-centered recommendations for ethical refusal design. Keywords: Generative AI governance, AI refusal behavior, Censorship, Ethical design
title Silenced by Design Censorship, Governance, and the Politics of Access in Generative AI Refusal Behavior
topic Computers and Society
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.08877