The Oversight Board at Meta, often referred to as the “supreme court” for platforms like Facebook and Instagram, is reportedly planning to downsize its workforce, as reported by Business Insider. The board, responsible for reviewing and making decisions on content moderation, has informed some employees that their jobs are at risk. The exact number of layoffs is unknown, but it is believed to affect staff supporting the experts who evaluate content moderation cases across Meta’s platforms. The Oversight Board was established by Meta in 2018 and operates independently, with the goal of holding the tech giant accountable for its content moderation practices. Despite the layoffs, both the Oversight Board Trust chair and Meta have expressed commitment to the board’s success and to continue providing funding. The layoffs have raised concerns about Meta’s ability to effectively police misinformation, particularly as the 2024 US presidential election approaches. The rise of AI-generated content and deepfakes has added complexity to content moderation, with platforms like Meta working to address these challenges.
