Meta Oversight Board: Reducing political content may limit the expression of diverse opinions in crises

According to news on September 5, 2024, in a case ruling on videos related to Venezuela, Meta's Oversight Board said that Meta's move to reduce political content on its platform may limit the reach of people expressing different opinions or raising awareness during crises, such as the situation after the Venezuelan elections.

The Oversight Board urged Meta to apply existing crisis protocols to ensure that political content has the same reach as other types of content during crises. Meta established this board in 2020 to act as a referee for content on its platforms (including Facebook and Instagram). The company submitted two videos related to pro-government armed groups in Venezuela. A video posted on Instagram showing armed men in front of an apartment building was determined by Meta not to violate policies, and the Oversight Board agreed. Another video posted on Facebook was deleted by Meta because it was considered a call to action for highly serious violence. The Oversight Board disagreed with this decision and believed that in the specific context of Venezuela, it should be understood as a statement of aspiration.

The board understands Meta's concerns about increasing the risk of offline violence, but given the specific situation in Venezuela, it is crucial to allow people to freely express different opinions. After the Venezuelan presidential election in July, protests attracted attention. A Human Rights Watch report linked security forces and pro-government armed groups to some deaths. Meta established the Oversight Board four years ago in response to criticism that it was not acting quickly enough in removing misinformation. The board has 21 members, including a multinational group of legal scholars, human rights experts, and journalists.