Jan 28 (Reuters) - Deciding its first cases, Facebook Inc's
The rulings are a crucial test of the independent body, created by Facebook in response to criticism of the way ittreats problematic content. The board also called for Facebookto be clearer about its rules on what is allowed on itsplatforms.
The board has been in the spotlight after the company lastweek asked it to rule on the recent suspension of former U.S.President Donald Trump. It said on Thursday it would soon beopening the case up for public comment.
Facebook blocked Trump's access to his Facebook andInstagram accounts over concerns of further violent unrestfollowing the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by the formerpresident's supporters.
Facebook's oversight board started hearing cases in Octoberand announced the first cases it would review in December. Hereis the full list of the board's rulings:
DECISIONS OVERTURNED: * A post with photos of a deceased child that includedcommentary on China's treatment of Uighur Muslims.* An alleged quote from Nazi propaganda minister JosephGoebbels that Facebook removed for violating its policy on"dangerous individuals and organizations."* A post in a group claiming certain drugs could cureCOVID-19, which criticized the French government's response tothe pandemic. This case was submitted by Facebook, rather than auser.* Instagram photos showing female nipples that the user inBrazil said aimed to raise awareness of breast cancer symptoms.Facebook had also said this removal was an error and restoredthe post.
DECISION UPHELD: * A post that purported to show historical photos of churchesin Baku, Azerbaijan, with a caption that Facebook said indicated"disdain" for Azerbaijani people and support for Armenia.
Facebook now has seven days to restore the pieces of contentthat the board ruled should not have been taken down. The boardsaid it would shortly announce one more case from its firstbatch.
The board also issued nine nonbinding policy recommendations- for example that Facebook should tell users the specific rulethey have violated and better define their rules on issues likedangerous groups and health misinformation. Facebook doesn'thave to act on these, but it does have to publicly respond.
Facebook has long faced criticism for high-profile contentmoderation issues, ranging from temporarily removing a famousVietnam-era war photo of a naked girl fleeing a napalm attack tofailings in policing hate speech and misinformation.
The board will rule on a limited number of controversialdecisions. It said on Thursday that 150,000 cases had beenappealed to the board since it started accepting cases inOctober.
The board has 20 members including former Danish PrimeMinister Helle Thorning-Schmidt and Nobel Peace Prize laureateTawakkol Karman.
The panel hears cases from users who have exhausted thecompany's appeals process on content removed from Facebook'splatforms, not content that has been left up. The board'slimited remit has been the subject of criticism. Facebook itselfcan ask the board to review a wider range of content problems.
Before the rulings were announced, a group of Facebookcritics, dubbed The Real Oversight Board, said they were "a PReffort that obfuscates the urgent issues that Facebookcontinually fails to address - the continued proliferation ofhate speech and disinformation on their platforms."
Facebook has pledged $130 million to fund the board for atleast six years.
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Facebook hands decision on Trump ban to oversight board
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Elizabeth Culliford; Editing by Kenneth Li,Cynthia Osterman and Steve Orlofsky) ((elizabeth.culliford@thomsonreuters.com; 2127679959;))
