Posted on 01/31/2021 10:06:37 AM PST by SeekAndFind
The Oversight Board has overturned Facebook’s decision to remove a post which it claimed, “contributes to the risk of imminent… physical harm.” The Board found Facebook’s misinformation and imminent harm rule (part of its Violence and Incitement Community Standard) to be inappropriately vague and recommended, among other things, that the company create a new Community Standard on health misinformation.
About the case
In October 2020, a user posted a video and accompanying text in French in a public Facebook group related to COVID-19. The post alleged a scandal at the Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament (the French agency responsible for regulating health products), which refused to authorize hydroxychloroquine combined with azithromycin for use against COVID-19, but authorized and promoted remdesivir. The user criticized the lack of a health strategy in France and stated that “[Didier] Raoult’s cure” is being used elsewhere to save lives. The user’s post also questioned what society had to lose by allowing doctors to prescribe in an emergency a “harmless drug” when the first symptoms of COVID-19 appear.
In its referral to the Board, Facebook cited this case as an example of the challenges of addressing the risk of offline harm that can be caused by misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key findings
Facebook removed the content for violating its misinformation and imminent harm rule, which is part of its Violence and Incitement Community Standard, finding the post contributed to the risk of imminent physical harm during a global pandemic. Facebook explained that it removed the post as it contained claims that a cure for COVID-19 exists. The company concluded that this could lead people to ignore health guidance or attempt to self-medicate.
The Board observed that, in this post, the user was opposing a governmental policy and aimed to change that policy. The combination of medicines that the post claims constitute a cure are not available without a prescription in France and the content does not encourage people to buy or take drugs without a prescription. Considering these and other contextual factors, the Board noted that Facebook had not demonstrated the post would rise to the level of imminent harm, as required by its own rule in the Community Standards.
The Board also found that Facebook’s decision did not comply with international human rights standards on limiting freedom of expression. Given that Facebook has a range of tools to deal with misinformation, such as providing users with additional context, the company failed to demonstrate why it did not choose a less intrusive option than removing the content.
The Board also found Facebook’s misinformation and imminent harm rule, which this post is said to have violated, to be inappropriately vague and inconsistent with international human rights standards. A patchwork of policies found on different parts of Facebook’s website make it difficult for users to understand what content is prohibited. Changes to Facebook’s COVID-19 policies announced in the company’s Newsroom have not always been reflected in its Community Standards, while some of these changes even appear to contradict them.
The Oversight Board’s decision
The Oversight Board overturns Facebook’s decision to remove the content and requires that the post be restored.
In a policy advisory statement, the Board recommends that Facebook:
For further information:
To read the full case decision, click here.
To read a synopsis of public comments for this case, click here.
ping for your interest.
So who got fired?
L
That description is “full of it.”
Anyone know when Project Veritas is going to release the undercover FB clips?
Now that the inauguration is behind us, these companies are allowing something that at least slightly resembles the Truth to be released.
How nice of them.
Ooh...someone threatening a BIG lawsuit?
And how many are DEAD because critical. life-saving info about HCQ was mass-blocked by FANG overlords?
Too late Fartbook killed people and we all knew it before they admitted it.
Yep, people died because of the “anti hydroxychloroquine” crowd.
This drug was the antidote and it was made out to be a vile and evil drug to keep the Covid scam going for election purposes.
Note to fakebook oversight board:
Orange man out, trojan horse in. Time to overturn our ban on effective covid treatments.
Yours truly,
Global powers oversight board
January 20 2021
“The board uses its independent judgment to support”
...the Current Party Line of the Democrat Party and the Communist Party of China (but I repeat myself).
Yep, people died because of the “anti hydroxychloroquine” crowd.
Furthermore, the Oversight Board requires that a note of apology be placed on all graves of those who died from Covid-19 because they failed to receive Hydroxychloroquine therapy as a result of Facebook's anti-Trump bias.
Facebook is really, really sorry.
Allow me to boil. down all that FB hogwash.
Orange Man Bad gone. No need to block HCQ. Not sorry we had to kill thousands, because it was worth it.
When did our nation decide to have a “First Amendment Court” to decide what people could post and what people could read?
When did our nation decide to have a “First Amendment Court” to decide what people could post and what people could read?
—
Not to mention a court run by Facebook.
expand the list, if necessary, to “see all”. one to note - veteran Guardian boss Rusbridger:
Oversight Board: Meet the Board
Alan Rusbridger, Principal, Lady Margaret Hall Oxford
Chair of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and former Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom, from 1995 to 2015...
https://oversightboard.com/meet-the-board/
They were persecuting people for suggesting HCQ as a potential treatment.
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