Facebook oversight board overrules company on most decisions to remove content

Deciding its first cases, Facebook Inc’s oversight board ruled on Thursday that the social media company was wrong to remove four of five pieces of content the board reviewed, including posts Facebook took down for violating rules on hate speech and harmful Covid-19 misinformation.

The rulings are a crucial test of the independent body, created by Facebook in response to criticism of the way it treats problematic content. The board also called for Facebook to be clearer about its rules on what is allowed on its platforms.

The board has been in the spotlight after the company last week asked it to rule on the recent suspension of former US President Donald Trump. It said on Thursday it would soon be opening the case up for public comment.