Facebook Inc. was justified in suspending then-President Donald Trump early this year, the company’s independent oversight board ruled Wednesday, but it must better explain its reasoning if it decides to permanently lock him out of its social-media platforms.
The Oversight Board gave Facebook six months to determine whether Mr. Trump should be permanently banned, and it put the company on the line to more clearly articulate its rules for prominent individuals and develop penalties for violators. It also sharply criticized the company for its failure to state clear rules and explain how it enforces them.
Facebook created the Oversight Board to independently rule on difficult issues around content moderation. But Wednesday’s decision essentially punted the ball back to the company, stating that it wasn’t the board’s role to set policy for the social-media platform.
The board’s ruling most immediately ratifies a choice approved by Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg and could have far-reaching implications for how technology companies police political speech. The board’s contention that Facebook needs to better develop clear policies highlights the tricky terrain the company is trying to maneuver, and that the creation of an outside panel won’t absolve its executives of responsibility for deciding what expression should be permitted.
Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube, Twitter Inc. and other social-media platforms also removed the then-president after accusing him of inciting the deadly Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. That came after Mr. Trump, who has lodged unfounded claims that the November election was stolen from him, urged his followers to go to the Capitol as lawmakers were certifying President Biden’s win.
∎