Whatever The Ruling, Facebook’s Oversight Board is a Smokescreen

Statement from the Real Facebook Oversight Board, May 3rd —

Facebook’s Oversight Board will announce on Wednesday its decision on a permanent ban of Donald Trump. Obviously Donald Trump has violated Facebook’s terms of service repeatedly, incited hate, spread disinformation, fomented violence and been used as a model for other authoritarian leaders to abuse Facebook. He should be banned forever.

But do not let Facebook’s Oversight Board distract from the need to ensure real accountability for hate speech, election lies, disinformation and other harmful content.

Facebook’s Oversight Board is a Facebook-paid, Facebook-appointed body created by Facebook to use to launder its most politically sensitive decisions. Whatever the ruling on Donald Trump, insurrectionists, racists, authoritarians and conspiracy theorists continue to run wild with no plan to stop them and no clear line on what will get them banned.

This is a PR stunt that deflects attention from the real harms of Facebook’s algorithm and business model.

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Note: the Real Facebook Oversight Board will respond to the ruling in a press call at 1030AM Wednesday EST. Please RSVP to media@the-citizens.com.