Facebook allows VIP users to flout rules that other users have to follow, says report
3 years, 3 months ago

Facebook allows VIP users to flout rules that other users have to follow, says report

India Today  

Facebook seems to have different rules for different users especially if it is public figure, Facebook is apparently not very stern. The report states that Facebook runs a program called “XCheck”, which allows celebrities including actors, politicians and others to bypass the rules and guidelines that are followed by average users. The documents obtained by Wall Street Journal reveals that Facebook’s XCheck program lets celebrities including politicians, actors create their own rule for content moderation. The report reveals that Facebook had over 5.8 million VIP Facebook users in 2020, who were enrolled in the company’s XCheck program. Some users are “whitelisted”—rendered immune from enforcement actions—while others are allowed to post rule-violating material pending Facebook employee reviews that often never come,” the report states.

Users Facebook Program Xcheck  rules  follow  celebrities  post  facebook  flout  social  program  media  xcheck  politicians  users  vip  allows  report

History of this topic

Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
8 months, 1 week ago

Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools

Associated Press  

Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don’t see — on their feeds? A lawsuit filed against Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. is arguing that a federal law often used to shield internet companies from liability also allows people to use external tools to take control of their feed — even if that …

Meta oversight board urges changes to VIP moderation system
2 years, 1 month ago

Meta oversight board urges changes to VIP moderation system

The Hindu  

Facebook parent Meta's quasi-independent oversight board said on December 6 that an internal system that exempted high-profile users, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, from some or all of its content moderation rules needs a major overhaul. The Oversight Board's report said that the system — known as “XCheck,” or cross-check — resulted in users being treated unequally and that …

Meta oversight board urges overhauling VIP moderation system
2 years, 1 month ago

Meta oversight board urges overhauling VIP moderation system

LA Times  

The oversight board for Facebook parent Meta said its “XCheck,” or cross-check, system resulted in users being treated unequally and that it led to delays in taking down content that violated the rules. Facebook parent Meta’s quasi-independent oversight board said Tuesday that an internal system that exempted high-profile users, including former President Trump, from some or all of its content …

Facebook has become a hellscape – and there’s no way out
2 years, 10 months ago

Facebook has become a hellscape – and there’s no way out

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Its restructuring meant that an automated …

Facebook exposes mercenary spy firms that targeted 50,000 people
3 years ago

Facebook exposes mercenary spy firms that targeted 50,000 people

The Hindu  

Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc is calling out half a dozen private surveillance companies for hacking or other abuses, accusing them in a report published Thursday of collectively targeting about 50,000 people across its platforms. Gleicher refused to identify any of the targets by name but Citizen Lab, in a report published at the same time as Meta's, said that …

Facebook Papers: 6 big takeaways
3 years, 2 months ago

Facebook Papers: 6 big takeaways

CNN  

CNN Business — Facebook is no stranger to the limelight. In response to these documents a Facebook spokesperson told CNN, “The responsibility for the violence that occurred on January 6 lies with those who attacked our Capitol and those who encouraged them.” Global lack of support Internal Facebook documents and research shared as part of Haugen’s disclosures highlight gaps in …

Facebook papers: Huge trove of documents released from inside social network, showing struggle to keep control
3 years, 2 months ago

Facebook papers: Huge trove of documents released from inside social network, showing struggle to keep control

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A huge trove of documents from inside Facebook has been released, showing the …

Facebook Oversight Board member calls for more transparency
3 years, 2 months ago

Facebook Oversight Board member calls for more transparency

CNN  

New York, NY CNN — As more of Facebook’s internal documents are revealed, Facebook Oversight Board member and PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel emphasized that the platform must do a better job with transparency. The Oversight Board’s first report, released last week, revealed that the group of independent content moderators prompted Facebook to restore more than 30 pieces of content …

Facebook’s oversight board seeks details on VIPs’ treatment
3 years, 2 months ago

Facebook’s oversight board seeks details on VIPs’ treatment

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Facebook’s semi-independent oversight board says the company has fallen short of full disclosure on its internal system that exempts high-profile users from some or all of its content rules. The report said Facebook wrongly failed to mention the XCheck system when it asked the board earlier this year to rule on its ban on former President Donald Trump’s …

Oversight Board slams Facebook for giving special treatment to high-profile users
3 years, 2 months ago

Oversight Board slams Facebook for giving special treatment to high-profile users

NPR  

Oversight Board slams Facebook for giving special treatment to high-profile users Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Chiu/AP Jeff Chiu/AP Facebook's Oversight Board said in a report on Thursday that the social network "has not been fully forthcoming" about how it lets millions of prominent users escape the content moderation rules it applies to everyone else, a practice known inside …

Facebook to change rules on attacking public figures on its platforms
3 years, 2 months ago

Facebook to change rules on attacking public figures on its platforms

The Hindu  

Facebook Inc will now count activists and journalists as "involuntary" public figures and so increase protections against harassment and bullying targeted at these groups, its global safety chief said in an interview this week. Facebook also differentiates between public figures and private individuals in the protections it affords around online discussion: for instance, users are generally allowed to call for …

Facebook will try to ‘nudge’ teens away from harmful content
3 years, 2 months ago

Facebook will try to ‘nudge’ teens away from harmful content

The Hindu  

A Facebook Inc executive said Sunday that the company would introduce new measures on its apps to prompt teens away from harmful content, as U.S lawmakers scrutinise how Facebook and subsidiaries like Instagram affect young people's mental health. Nick Clegg, Facebook's vice president of global affairs, also expressed openness to the idea of letting regulators have access to Facebook algorithms …

Facebook whistleblower testifies: Five highlights
3 years, 3 months ago

Facebook whistleblower testifies: Five highlights

Associated Press  

A former Facebook employee told members of Congress Tuesday that the company knows that its platform spreads misinformation and content that harms children but refuses to make changes that could hurt its profits. “A lot of the changes that I’m talking about are not going to make Facebook an unprofitable company, it just won’t be a ludicrously profitable company like …

Facebook whistleblower testifies: Five highlights
3 years, 3 months ago

Facebook whistleblower testifies: Five highlights

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “A lot of the changes that I’m talking about are not going to make …

Ex-Facebook employee tells Congress social media giant endangers users, democracy
3 years, 3 months ago

Ex-Facebook employee tells Congress social media giant endangers users, democracy

LA Times  

Former Facebook data scientist Frances Haugen testified Tuesday before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security. “The company’s leadership knows ways to make Facebook and Instagram safer and won’t make the necessary changes because they have put their astronomical profits before people,” said Frances Haugen, a former Facebook data scientist who has …

Whistleblower: Facebook chose profit over public safety
3 years, 3 months ago

Whistleblower: Facebook chose profit over public safety

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — A data scientist who was revealed Sunday as the Facebook whistleblower says that whenever there was a conflict between the public good and what benefited the company, the social media giant would choose its own interests. Post-election, the company dissolved a unit on civic integrity where she had been working, which Haugen said was the moment she …

Today's Cache | Facebook needs a shrink
3 years, 3 months ago

Today's Cache | Facebook needs a shrink

The Hindu  

Facebook is overwhelmed, and has reached out for help Facebook’s problems have compounded in recent times. U.S. lawmakers called CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify before Congress on how his firm protects users’ information. The WSJ report comes at a time when Facebook executives are due to face U.S. lawmakers over an issue with Instagram’s plan to build an app for …

US lawmakers question Facebook on Instagram policies for children
3 years, 3 months ago

US lawmakers question Facebook on Instagram policies for children

Al Jazeera  

United States lawmakers have heaped criticism on Facebook Inc on the company’s plans to protect children who use its social media platforms, after a leaked internal investigation showed the social media giant was aware of how its Instagram app harmed the mental health of teenagers. Democratic Senator Edward Markey added: “IG stands for Instagram, but it also stands for Insta-greed.” …

Facebook asks Oversight Board for guidance on ‘cross-check’ system
3 years, 3 months ago

Facebook asks Oversight Board for guidance on ‘cross-check’ system

The Hindu  

Facebook Inc said Tuesday it will ask its independent Oversight Board for recommendations on how to improve its cross-check system, an internal program the social media company says is used to double check enforcement actions against certain users. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported millions of Facebook accounts belonging to celebrities, politicians and other high profile users are …

Facebook oversight board to review ‘XCheck’ system for VIPs
3 years, 3 months ago

Facebook oversight board to review ‘XCheck’ system for VIPs

The Hindu  

Facebook’s semi-independent oversight board says it will review the company’s ‘XCheck’ or cross check system, following an investigation by The Wall Street Journal into the use of this internal system that has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules. The Journal ’s report found that many VIP users abuse the system, “posting material including harassment and incitement …

Facebook calls Wall Street Journal reports “deliberate mischaracterizations”
3 years, 3 months ago

Facebook calls Wall Street Journal reports “deliberate mischaracterizations”

The Hindu  

Last week, Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook’s content moderation fails to take strict action against politicians and celebrities who violate the platform’s rules. In a response to the articles, Facebook’s head of global affairs Nick Clegg called the reports “deliberate mischaracterizations” of the work the company does. However, he added the allegations that Facebook conducts research, and then systematically …

Facebook bans German accounts under new ‘social harm’ policy
3 years, 3 months ago

Facebook bans German accounts under new ‘social harm’ policy

Associated Press  

Facebook removed almost 150 accounts and pages linked to anti-lockdown demonstrators in Germany, the company announced Thursday, under a new policy focused on groups that spread misinformation or incite violence but who don’t fit into the platform’s existing categories of bad actors. The action is the first under Facebook’s new policy focused on preventing “coordinated social harm,” which company officials …

FB says its rules apply to all. Company documents reveal secret exempted elites
3 years, 3 months ago

FB says its rules apply to all. Company documents reveal secret exempted elites

Live Mint  

Mark Zuckerberg has publicly said Facebook Inc. allows its more than three billion users to speak on equal footing with the elites of politics, culture and journalism, and that its standards of behavior apply to everyone, no matter their status or fame. A 2019 internal review of Facebook’s whitelisting practices, marked attorney-client privileged, found favoritism to those users to be …

Facebook shields VIPs from some of its rules: report
3 years, 3 months ago

Facebook shields VIPs from some of its rules: report

The Hindu  

Facebook exempts certain celebrities, politicians and other high-profile users from some its own rules for posts as part of a programme launched as a quality-control mechanism, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. The programme, referred to as "cross check" or "XCheck," shields millions of elite users from rules that Facebook claims to apply equally at the social network, according …

SC says Facebook needs to be accountable, upholds Delhi Assembly's right to summon it in riots case
3 years, 6 months ago

SC says Facebook needs to be accountable, upholds Delhi Assembly's right to summon it in riots case

India Today  

The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the Delhi Assembly's right to summon and compel entities like Facebook to appear before its committees on grounds of its privilege. Hearing a plea filed by Facebook India's MD Ajit Mohan challenging the Delhi Assembly's summon to appear before it in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots, the Supreme Court held that digital platforms …

Facebook suspends Donald Trump's account for 2 years
3 years, 7 months ago

Facebook suspends Donald Trump's account for 2 years

India TV News  

Facebook said it will suspend former President Donald Trump's accounts for two years following its finding that he stoked violence ahead of the deadly January 6 insurrection. We will evaluate external factors, including instances of violence, restrictions on peaceful assembly and other markers of civil unrest,” Nick Clegg, Facebook's vice president of global affairs, wrote in a blog post Friday. …

Facebook Bans Former US President Donald Trump for 2 years
3 years, 7 months ago

Facebook Bans Former US President Donald Trump for 2 years

News 18  

Facebook on Friday set its ban on former US president Donald Trump for two years, saying he deserved the maximum punishment for violating platform rules over a deadly attack by his supporters on the US Capitol. “Given the gravity of the circumstances that led to Mr. Trump’s suspension, we believe his actions constituted a severe violation of our rules which …

Reports: Facebook to end rule exemptions for politicians
3 years, 7 months ago

Reports: Facebook to end rule exemptions for politicians

Associated Press  

Facebook plans to end a contentious policy championed by CEO Mark Zuckerberg that exempted politicians from certain moderation rules on its site, according to several news reports. The social media giant is currently mulling over what to do with the account of former President Donald Trump, which it “indefinitely” suspended Jan. 6, leaving it in Facebook limbo with its owners …

Facebook suspends Donald Trump until January 2023
3 years, 7 months ago

Facebook suspends Donald Trump until January 2023

Al Jazeera  

Trump’s actions on Facebook during the US Capitol riot were a ‘severe violation of our rules’, the company says. “Given the gravity of the circumstances that led to Mr. Trump’s suspension, we believe his actions constituted a severe violation of our rules which merit the highest penalty available under the new enforcement protocols,” Facebook Vice President of Global Affairs Nick …

Opinion: Trump is banned for now, but Facebook still needs to change its policies
3 years, 8 months ago

Opinion: Trump is banned for now, but Facebook still needs to change its policies

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Ann M. Ravel is the Digital Deception Project director at MapLight and previously served as chair of the Federal Election Commission. The decision from the Facebook Oversight Board to uphold the suspension on former President Donald Trump’s account marks a short-term step to limit the spread of dangerous online disinformation. Eliminate the ‘newsworthiness standard’ Before the violent insurrection …

Facebook Oversight Board Upholds Permanent Ban on Donald Trump, Ex-US Prez Says 'Total Disgrace'
3 years, 8 months ago

Facebook Oversight Board Upholds Permanent Ban on Donald Trump, Ex-US Prez Says 'Total Disgrace'

News 18  

Facebook’s independent oversight board on Wednesday upheld a ban on former US president Donald Trump while ordering further review of the case, in a decision with a potentially far-reaching impact on the regulation of online speech. Trump, whose political influence has arguably been severely curtailed by the loss of his social media presence, responded with a statement slamming bans by …

A Case Against the Peeping Tom Theory of Privacy
3 years, 10 months ago

A Case Against the Peeping Tom Theory of Privacy

Wired  

In an Apple commercial that was on heavy rotation last fall, people go around telling strangers intimate information about themselves. A beautiful woman informs a passerby, “My home is in 1,000 feet.” A man in a bathroom stall announces, “I’m currently reading an article titled ‘10 Ways to Keep Sweaty Hands From Holding You Back.’” Finally, you find out what …

Facebook, Instagram block Trump’s accounts ‘indefinitely’
4 years ago

Facebook, Instagram block Trump’s accounts ‘indefinitely’

Al Jazeera  

‘We believe the risks of allowing President Trump to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great,’ Facebook’s CEO announced Thursday. Facebook, which owns photo-sharing app Instagram, will also block his account there, CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post the day after Trump supporters breached the US Capitol building in a violent, unruly mob, forcing …

Editorial: Facebook is too big. Breaking it up is just part of the solution
4 years, 1 month ago

Editorial: Facebook is too big. Breaking it up is just part of the solution

LA Times  

The Federal Trade Commission and the attorneys general of 46 states filed lawsuits Wednesday seeking what amounted to a do-over on Facebook — the chance to reject two acquisitions that helped make the social network the behemoth it is today. Among other noxious pursuits, the social network has been used to incite violence, spread disinformation, vacuum up personal information, manipulate …

Facebook Oversight Board Picks Its First Cases: Here Are The Six Cases, Ranging From Hate Speech to Nudity
4 years, 1 month ago

Facebook Oversight Board Picks Its First Cases: Here Are The Six Cases, Ranging From Hate Speech to Nudity

News 18  

Facebook’s independent Oversight Board has announced the first six cases where it could overrule the social media company’s decisions to remove certain pieces of content from its platforms. “It’s not that easy… for an algorithm to get the context of such speech.” Following are the six cases chosen by the Facebook oversight board: -A screenshot of tweets by former Malaysian …

From hate speech to nudity, Facebook's oversight board picks its first cases
4 years, 1 month ago

From hate speech to nudity, Facebook's oversight board picks its first cases

The Hindu  

Facebook Inc's independent Oversight Board announced on Tuesday the first six cases where it could overrule the social media company's decisions to remove certain pieces of content from its platforms. An Oversight Board spokesman said hate-speech cases had been “the most significant proportion” of appeals received. Greene said the cases, which also involved content removed over rules on adult nudity, …

Facebook's Oversight Board Says it Expects to Consider 'Highly Challenging Cases', to Begin Operating in Coming Months
4 years, 4 months ago

Facebook's Oversight Board Says it Expects to Consider 'Highly Challenging Cases', to Begin Operating in Coming Months

News 18  

Facebook's Oversight Board has said it will be within its scope to examine how the social media giant treats posts from public figures that may violate community standards and are the type of "highly challenging cases" that the board expects to consider once it starts functioning. An Oversight Board spokesperson said the board, comprising independent expert members from around the …

Facebook to label all rule-breaking posts - even Trump’s
4 years, 6 months ago

Facebook to label all rule-breaking posts - even Trump’s

Associated Press  

OAKLAND, Calif. — Facebook said Friday that it will flag all “newsworthy” posts from politicians that break its rules, including those from President Donald Trump. Ethan Zuckerman, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Civic Media, said the changes are a “reminder of how powerful Facebook may be in terms of spreading disinformation during the upcoming election.” He …

Facebook knew its algorithm made people turn against each other but stopped research
4 years, 7 months ago

Facebook knew its algorithm made people turn against each other but stopped research

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Facebook executives took the decision to end research that would make the social …

A Facebook oversight board to soon decide what material belongs on the platform
5 years, 2 months ago

A Facebook oversight board to soon decide what material belongs on the platform

Firstpost  

The oversight board’s rulings will be binding in individual cases, but broader policy findings will be advisory. A new quasi-independent oversight board will soon make decisions on some of the most difficult questions on what material belongs on Facebook’s platform in a “very public way,” an executive for the social-media company said Friday. The board will consider a small number …

Facebook exempts politicians from third-party fact checking
5 years, 3 months ago

Facebook exempts politicians from third-party fact checking

The Quint  

San Francisco, Sep 25 Facebook has exempted politicians from its third-party fact-checking programme, saying its efforts to curb fake news and misinformation don't apply to politicians globally. However, when a politician shares previously debunked content including links, videos and photos, Facebook plans to demote that content, display related information from fact-checkers, and reject its inclusion in "From now on, we …

Facebook to block fake US DHS accounts who are spying on profiles of foreigners
5 years, 4 months ago

Facebook to block fake US DHS accounts who are spying on profiles of foreigners

Firstpost  

“Law enforcement authorities are required to use their real names on Facebook and we make this policy clear,” Facebook spokeswoman Facebook said Tuesday that the US Department of Homeland Security would be violating the company’s rules if agents create fake profiles to monitor the social media of foreigners seeking to enter the country. “Law enforcement authorities, like everyone else, are …

Facebook warned staff, not users about the known risks before 2018 breach
5 years, 4 months ago

Facebook warned staff, not users about the known risks before 2018 breach

India Today  

The year 2018 brought a series of bad news for Facebook. Now, almost a year later new details about a bug that affected the accounts of nearly 50 million Facebook users have surfaced online. Facebook users are suing the world's largest social media company on the grounds that it failed to warn its users about the known risks pertaining to …

Why Facebook’s new "privacy cop" is doomed to fail
5 years, 5 months ago

Why Facebook’s new "privacy cop" is doomed to fail

Salon  

The Federal Trade Commission issued its largest-ever fine, of US$5 billion, to Facebook for violating a 2011 privacy settlement in late July. More significantly, Facebook is required to have an “outside assessor” — a sort of privacy cop — to monitor the company’s handling of user data, along with following a few other corporate procedural requirements. That assessor could address …

Facebook set to pay $5 billion fine for privacy violations
5 years, 5 months ago

Facebook set to pay $5 billion fine for privacy violations

The Hindu  

The Federal Trade Commission is set to announce on Wednesday that Facebook has agreed to a sweeping settlement of significant allegations it mishandled user privacy and pay $5 billion, two people briefed on the matter said. Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg will have to certify every three months that the company is properly safeguarding user privacy, a person briefed on …

Facebook Removed Nearly 3.4 Billion Fake Accounts In 6 Months
5 years, 7 months ago

Facebook Removed Nearly 3.4 Billion Fake Accounts In 6 Months

NPR  

Facebook Removed Nearly 3.4 Billion Fake Accounts In 6 Months Enlarge this image toggle caption Francois Mori/AP Francois Mori/AP Facebook says it removed 3.39 billion fake accounts from October to March. In the company's latest Community Standards Enforcement Report, released Thursday, Facebook said nearly all of the fake accounts were caught by artificial intelligence and more human monitoring. Sponsor Message …

Facebook may be imposed with a record-setting fine for its privacy lapses
5 years, 11 months ago

Facebook may be imposed with a record-setting fine for its privacy lapses

Firstpost  

FTC is considering hitting Facebook with a penalty that would top its previous fine of $22.5 mn. Facebook may be facing the biggest fine ever imposed by the US Federal Trade Commission for privacy violations involving the personal information of its 2.2 billion users. The FTC is considering hitting Facebook with a penalty that would top its previous record fine …

Zuckerberg's Composure Amid Congressional Scrutiny: A Glimpse into His Response
6 years, 8 months ago

Zuckerberg's Composure Amid Congressional Scrutiny: A Glimpse into His Response

Live Mint  

Mark Zuckerberg's composure and responses to congressional hearings have reassured investors despite facing criticism for his data practices. While some lawmakers expressed appreciation for his patient cooperation, others expressed more assertive views on expanded government regulation. Zuckerberg's performance boosted shares, with the stock gaining 1.3% to $167.11 at 2:58pm in New York Wednesday after rising 4.5% the day before.

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