Facebook’s oversight board has upheld the company’s decision to suspend Donald Trump from publishing on its platforms in the wake of the Capitol riot.
However, the board has also found that Facebook violated its own rules by imposing an indefinite suspension – an “arbitrary” penalty which is not laid out in the social media giant’s content moderation policies.
In its judgment, published on Wednesday morning US time, it instructed Facebook to reassess that penalty and replace it with “a proportionate response consistent with the rules”.
That could mean a suspension for a clearly defined period of time, or the permanent deletion of Mr Trump’s account.
“Facebook cannot make up the rules as it goes, and anyone concerned about its power should be concerned about allowing this. Having clear rules that apply to all users is essential for ensuring the company treats users fairly,” the board said.
“The board insists that Facebook review this matter to determine and…