Facebook's Trump ban stands, but Oversight Board decision opens door to return
By Tiffany C. Li, MSNBC Opinion Columnist
The Facebook Oversight Board could have just changed the entire game for content moderation — and, potentially, the fate of the internet as we know it.
But on Wednesday, the Oversight Board announced its decision on whether to ban former President Donald Trump’s accounts on Facebook and Instagram with a fairly anti-climactic ruling: “In applying a vague, standardless penalty and then referring this case to the board to resolve, Facebook seeks to avoid its responsibilities,” the board concluded, stating it “declines Facebook’s request and insists that Facebook apply and justify a defined penalty.”
The statement also read, “Facebook’s normal penalties include removing the violating content, imposing a time-bound period of suspension, or permanently disabling the page and account.”
“Given the seriousness of the violations and the ongoing risk of violence, Facebook was justified in suspending Mr. Trump’s accounts on January 6 and extending that suspension on January 7. However, it was not appropriate for Facebook to impose an ‘indefinite’ suspension.”
Facebook made the initial decision to ban Trump from its platforms on Jan. 7, the day of the attempted armed insurrection, after Trump catalyzed hundreds of his supporters to violently storm the U.S. Capitol, in an attempt to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Facebook wasn’t alone in that decision. On the same day, other platforms, including Twitter and YouTube (and even Shopify) took similar action in banning the then-sitting president of the United States from using or communicating with anyone through their apps and websites.
This decision by Facebook and its platform peers created shockwaves across the nation and the world. Some supported the decision, arguing that Trump had used social media to fan the flames of insurrection, spreading disinformation about the election and using his large platform to harass and intimidate others. But not everyone agreed that it was a good idea — which may be why the Trump ban quickly became the most talked-about case before what some have called the “Facebook Supreme Court.”
Facebook’s Oversight Board was created to help the company figure out how to approach difficult content decisions, including deciding which posts to take down or leave up, and which accounts to suspend, remove, or reinstate. The board has only been in existence since 2020.
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Posted By: Dea. Ron Gray Sr.
Thursday, May 6th 2021 at 9:33PM
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