Facebook Board Has Template To Review Content Standards

Facebook on Monday released a working model for making content-policing decisions in the future.

The draft charter expands on a plan unveiled by CEO Mark Zuckerberg last November to give an independent body some say over Facebook policy.

“As we build out the board, we want to make sure it is able to render independent judgment, is transparent and respects privacy,” Nick Clegg, vice president, global affairs and communications, Facebook, notes in a new blog post.

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The primary function of the board will be to review decisions that Facebook makes when enforcing its Community Standards.

The board’s decisions will be binding on the specific content brought for review, while those decisions will have the potential for setting policy.

Questions will be referred to the board by Facebook users who disagree with a decision, as well as by Facebook itself.

Facebook is suggesting the new review board be made up of roughly 40 experts with experience in the areas of content, privacy, human rights, journalism, civil rights, and public safety.

Along with providing them compensation, Facebook plans to handpick the initial board members.

For Facebook, the ultimate goal is to convince critics that its platform doesn’t discriminate against users based on their views, political affiliations or other unique characteristics.      

Once in place, Facebook is recommending the body’s debut members be responsible for selecting future members, and that members serve for three-year terms.  

The board will be supported by a full-time staff, which will be responsible for seeing through its content decisions.

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