The Meta Oversight Board has issued a ruling on the company’s content moderation policies in Venezuela, where violent crackdowns and widespread protests have erupted following the disputed presidential election. The board has determined that Facebook users should be allowed to post statements such as “kill those damn colectivos” when referring to state-supported armed groups, without fear of violating the platform’s rules.
Meta had sought the board’s guidance on two specific posts, one on Instagram and one on Facebook, which contained language critical of the colectivos and Venezuela’s security forces. The board found that neither post constituted a call to violence, but rather an “aspirational statement” from citizens of a country where state-supported violence has threatened free expression. The board noted that the colectivos have been responsible for human rights abuses, while the civilian population has been the target of such abuses.
The Oversight Board also expressed concern about Meta’s practice of reducing the visibility of political content on its platforms. The board argued that this policy could undermine the ability of users to express dissent and raise awareness about the situation in Venezuela. It recommended that Meta adapt its policies to ensure that political content, particularly around elections and post-electoral protests, is given the same level of visibility as non-political content during times of crisis.
This is not the first time the Oversight Board has weighed in on the role of political content on Meta’s platforms. Earlier this year, the board accepted a case related to a post on Threads, which is also expected to address Meta’s decision to limit recommendations of political posts on the service. The board’s decision in that case has yet to be published.
