Stunning Report Shows Facebook Oversight Board Set Up To Fail; Facebook Misleads Again.

September 13th — Statement from the Real Facebook Oversight Board:

Today’s bombshell report in The Wall Street Journal that Facebook allowed at least 5.8 million users to be exempt from its terms of service enforcement is yet another example of Facebook’s complete failure to responsibly moderate content or oversee its own platforms.

“We are not actually doing what we say we do publicly,” an internal memo warned, as Facebook has been caught out giving special treatment to public figures.

The report also reveals that Facebook lied to its own Oversight Board. But having been lied to, the Oversight Board has no recourse. Their mandate does not allow them to initiate an investigation, only to wait for Facebook to refer its own malfeasance to its own paid Oversight Board, which of course will never happen.

Faced with being lied to, misled, and embarrassed the Facebook Oversight Board can only wait and express concern. They have no real power or authority because Facebook designed the Oversight Board to fail.

Oversight Board members must be considering their position given these profoundly shocking revelations. This proves, however, what we have been saying all along: Facebook needs real, independent, and transparent outside oversight. 5.8m users exempted from enforcement isn’t a mistake. It’s how Facebook does business.

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Real Facebook Oversight Board members are available for comment. Statements do not always reflect the individual positions of all Real Facebook Oversight Board Members, listed here. Contact us at media@the-citizens.com.