Facebook ‘Surpreme Court’ Announces Appeals Process for Censored Content

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies via video conference, before the House Judiciary Su
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Facebook’s Oversight Board, often referred to as the platform’s “supreme court,” has announced a new process that would allow users to escalate content removal appeals directly to the Oversight Board if they feel that their posts have been removed unfairly.

In a recent announcement, Facebook’s Oversight Board announced that users that have exhausted the content removal appeals processes of Facebook and Instagram can escalate their complaints directly to the Oversight Board. Facebook itself can now also refer cases to the Oversight Board for a decision on whether or not to allow it on the platform.

The Oversight Board states in the announcement:

Today we’re announcing an important milestone in the progress of the Oversight Board. From today, if your content is removed from Facebook or Instagram and you have exhausted the company’s appeal process, you can challenge this decision by appealing to the Oversight Board.

Similarly, Facebook can now refer cases for a decision about whether content should remain up or come down. In the coming months you will also be able to appeal to the Board about content you want Facebook to remove.

The Board also tweeted about the new appeals process which can be seen below:

Breitbart Tech senior reporter Allum Bokhari reported in May that the Facebook Oversight Board is packed with progressive and Anti-Trump figures.

Bokhari wrote:

Colloquially known as the “Facebook Supreme Court,” the idea for the body was hatched by Harvard Law professor Noah Feldman, a liberal academic and one of the Democrats’ “expert witnesses” during the impeachment hearings. Also involved in the body’s development was a progressive non-profit, BSR.

The 20 members announced by Facebook today include progressive, left-wing, and mainstream media figures who have been highly critical of President Trump.

One addition is Alan Rusbridger, formerly editor-in-chief of the Guardian, the U.K.’s leading left-wing newspaper. His appointment to Facebook’s Oversight Board — and the lack of any figures from conservative media — has already drawn condemnation from Conservative Party MPs in the U.K.

Earlier this week, Facebook released its “inauthentic behavior” report in which the company described some of its recent attempts to prevent the spread of misinformation across its platform. The report outlines attempts often by foreign bodies to influence American users and groups.

Read more at Breitbart News here.

Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or email him at lnolan@breitbart.com

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