Facebook, Instagram users can now appeal removal of harmful content to Oversight Board

Oversight Board of Facebook expands mandate, allow users to appeal content that they removed from Facebook & Instagram.

Oversight Board has announced that people who use Instagram and Facebook now has the ability to appeal other people's content that has been left up to the board. While the board was already taking requests about the removal of certain content that has been posted on Facebook and Instagram since October 2020, the users are now also eligible to put forth appeal for posts that hasn't been consider for the removal by Facebook's moderation team.

Here is how to report the content that has been left up:

If someone thinks that a piece of content shouldn't be present on Facebook or Instagram, the user first needs to report the content to Facebook. If even after reviewing, Facebook decides to keep the content on the platform then the reporting person will recieve an Oversight Board reference ID in their support inbox and from there the user can appeal Facebook's decision to the Oversight Board for review.

Also Read: Facebook introduces Hotline, a Q&A web-based application

How does the Oversight Board make decisions:

Keeping in mind that a single piece of content is often reported by multiple people, Facebook will compile all the appeals in a single case file for the Oversight Board to manage. Furthermore, to protect the privacy of those who are appealing to the board, the board is allowed to only include details that could easily identify a reporter in the board's written explanation only if the reporter has given permission to do so.

Facebook will inform all the users who have reported the case to the board by updating the status of the case in the Oversight Board Website Portal. Content eligible for appeal to the board still includes photos, videos, posts, status, comments, and shares.