Today, Meta’s Oversight Board declared that it would review Threads, Facebook, and Instagram content moderation decisions.
The Oversight Board may hear Threads users’ complaints about Meta’s content or account removal decisions.
The Board’s expansion to Threads builds on our foundation of helping Meta tackle the hardest content moderation problems. Independent accountability early on for new software like Threads is crucial, said Oversight Board co-chair Helle Thorning-Schmidt.
Mark Zuckerberg originally mentioned an independent monitoring board in 2018. Facebook proposed the board’s bylaws in January 2020 and announced the first members in May. In October 2020, the board announced case reviews. The observatory increased its examination of Meta’s content retention in 2021.
Over the years, the Oversight Board has decided major cases. Criticizing Facebook for “indefinitely” barring former President Donald Trump was the most significant verdict. The board acknowledged that Trump violated platform standards, but the guidelines don’t call for a permanent ban.
The board asked Meta to amend its “incoherent” false video guidelines earlier this year.
Thread content moderation
Users have repeatedly questioned Threads’ moderating since July last year. The Washington Post reported in October that the site blocks “Covid” and “vaccines” along with “gore,” “nude,” “sex,” and “porn.” Instagram chief Adam Mosseri said this prohibition was temporary for the same month. However, the corporation has not removed the prohibition today.
Threads announced a fact-checking effort this month, and some postings had labels. The business said that it compares Meta’s other property fact checks to Threads postings. Meta announced a Threads fact-check program last year, but it hasn’t decided what fact-checkers will be included.
Mosseri has maintained that the site would neither “amplify news” nor suggest political material. Meta stated last week that the social network’s new trending topics tool might include political material if it doesn’t violate corporate rules.
Oversight Board co-chair Catalina Botero Marino said that material filtering is difficult because of elections in the U.S. and India this year, AI developments, and global conflicts.
“With conflicts in Europe, the Middle East, and elsewhere, billions of people voting in global elections, and online abuse of marginalized groups, there is no time to lose. Marino claimed AI may make content filtering harder.
The Board is committed to finding tangible solutions that safeguard freedom of speech while limiting damage, and we look forward to creating guidelines that will enhance millions of Threads users’ online experience.”
Oversight board procedure
The Oversight Board still appeals Meta’s Threads rulings. After appealing to Meta, a user may appeal to the board within 15 days after the social platform’s decision.
After the appeal date, the board may review the decision for 90 days. In the past, the board and Meta were criticized for tardy answers. The company hasn’t modified Threads processes yet.
Notably, the board may suggest and decide. Meta must follow board decisions, even when suggestions are not binding.
