Facebook expands Oversight Board to let users report content for removal

Facebook on Tuesday announced that users will be allowed to appeal the platform’s decisions to keep other users’ posts up after being reported to a company independent oversight body.

Facebook’s announcement expands the scope of its Oversight Board, allowing users to appeal decisions about content that is allowed to remain on the site.

Previously, users who had their content removed by the platform and disagreed with the decision were eligible for appeal to the board. 

In order to appeal to the board about content allowed to remain on the platform, a user first needs to report the content to Facebook. If the platform decides to keep the content up after the initial review, the person who reported the content will be given a chance to refer to the Oversight Board. 

The update will be rolled out in waves across the world, Facebook said. 

Facebook said the appeal process is structured to accommodate content reported by multiple people. The multiple reports will be combined into a single file for the board. 

Facebook also said that the board will only include details that could easily identify a reporter in the board’s written explanation if the reporter has given permission to do so. 

The expansion of the Oversight Board’s scope comes as the body weighs its critical decision on whether to reinstate former President Trump’s account or keep him permanently banned from the site.