ReutersJan 29, 2021 00:15:49 AM
By Elizabeth Culliford
(Reuters) – Facebook Inc.’s independent oversight body made its first binding decisions on Thursday, overriding the company’s actions in four of the five cases it examined. https://www.oversightboard.com/news/165523235084273-Ankendung-der-Übersichts-Bord-s-Ersten-Fall-Entscheidungen
The board also made non-binding recommendations and asked the company to make its guidelines for content moderation clearer and more precise.
REVERSE DECISIONS:
* A post from a user in Myanmar with photos of a deceased child with a comment on the treatment of Uighur Muslims in China. Facebook removed the post according to its hate speech rules, but the board decided the terms used weren’t derogatory or violent.
* An alleged quote from Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels that Facebook removed for violating its policy towards “dangerous people and organizations”. The user said he wanted to draw a comparison with the presidency of former US President Donald Trump.
The board said the quote did not support any Nazi ideology or actions. Facebook’s rules are not clear enough for users and urge the company to provide public examples of dangerous individuals and groups.
* A post in a group claiming certain drugs could cure COVID-19, criticizing the French government’s response to the pandemic. This case was filed by Facebook.
The board said Facebook’s rule against misinformation that contributes to the risk of impending physical harm is too vague. It was also recommended that Facebook create a new “community standard” for health misinformation and that it should be “less intrusive” in enforcing policies where content does not risk immediate physical harm.
* Instagram photos show female nipples that the user in Brazil said were aimed at raising awareness of breast cancer symptoms. Facebook had also said this removal was a mistake and restored the post.
The Board said the incorrect automated removal of this item “indicates a lack of adequate human oversight, which raises human rights concerns.” Facebook should tell users when to use auto enforcement to moderate their content.
DECISION MAKED:
* A post allegedly showing historical photos of churches in Baku, Azerbaijan, with a headline that Facebook labeled “contempt” for Azerbaijanis and support for Armenia.
A majority of the board approved the removal of the post by Facebook.
(Reporting by Elizabeth Culliford; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
This story was not edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by automatic feed.
