Technology

Facebook is developing its own electoral commission: Report

The election commission could be comparable to the Oversight Board in terms of its constituents/members

NEW DELHI Facebook is considering forming a committee to weigh in on worldwide election-related issues on the platform.

The commission is anticipated to be revealed this fall, before of the 2022 US midterm elections, according to The New York Times.

Facebook has spoken with academics and policy professionals about it.

Facebook to address content moderation during elections

Facebook might ask the election commission to handle some election content decisions, similar to how the independent Oversight Board reviews content moderation appeals.

This could help to dispel the notion that Facebook’s content decisions are politically motivated, which has been a frequent criticism levelled at the business by conservatives. However, it’s unclear if this election panel would have the same level of autonomy as the Oversight Board.

Facebook has not so far made any public announcement about the development.

Company under fire for alleged decisions based on politics

If Facebook is considering creating an election commission similar to the Oversight Board, it might mean that the Oversight Board is relieving pressure on the social network in terms of content moderation, and it wants to do the same with election-related concerns.

However, the Oversight Board has had its fair share of criticism, with conservatives expressing displeasure with the Board’s decision to allow former President Donald Trump‘s order to remain in place.

However, an election commission could assist Facebook in demonstrating that it is making decisions on election content based on policy rather than politics.

The social network has a bad track record during elections

Facebook has a shaky track record when it comes to election issues, dating back to Russian meddling in the platform’s advertising and posts during the 2016 presidential election.

Facebook was also slammed by lawmakers and political ad purchasers for modifying the rules governing political ads ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

Last year, the business announced that it would block the purchase of new political commercials in the week leading up to the election, then chose to temporarily ban all U.S. political advertising after the polls closed on Election Day, provoking outrage among politicians and ad-buying firms.

Around election time, the company has battled with how to address misinformation and hate speech.

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Aasif Ganaie

Aasif is a journalist and a news enthusiast based in Jammu & Kashmir. He voyages to explore and uncover the stories More »
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