Note: For future Facebook updates about Oversight Board cases, please visit the Transparency Center.
Update on December 3, 2020 at 5:00 PM PT:
The board announced an update to this case today. As a result of a user deleting content on Facebook, this case has been deleted from our platform and from the board’s systems, which means the board will no longer be able to view or issue a decision on this case. Users are ultimately in control of their content on Facebook and have the right to permanently delete data associated with it. Since users can delete content on Facebook we expect there to be future instances when this happens before the board issues a decision, resulting in the case being removed from consideration. There will be no further updates to this case.
Originally published on December 1, 2020 at 5:45 AM PT:
Today, the Oversight Board selected a case appealed by someone on Facebook regarding comments made by a public figure about violence by the global Muslim community toward French people.
Facebook has taken down this content for violating our policy on hate speech, as laid out in our Community Standards. We do not allow hate speech on Facebook because it creates an environment of intimidation and exclusion, and in some cases, may promote real-world violence.
We will implement the board’s decision once it has finished deliberating, and we will update this post accordingly. Please see the board’s website for the decision when they issue it.