ΜΕΤΑ OVERSIGHT BOARD URGES CHANGES TO VIP MODERATION SYSTEM

Facebook parent Meta’s quasi-independent oversight board said 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.

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The report by the Oversight Board, which was more than a year in the making, said the system “is flawed in key areas which the company must address.”

Meta asked the board to look into the system after The Wall Street Journal reported last year that it was being abused by many of its elite users, who were posting material that would result in penalties for ordinary people, including for harassment and incitement of violence.

Facebook's rules reportedly didn't seem to apply to some VIP users while others faced reviews of rule-breaking posts that never happened, according to the Journal article, which said the system had at least 5.8 million exempted users as of 2020.

The system - known as "XCheck," or crosscheck - was exposed in Facebook documents leaked by Frances Haugen, a former product manager turned whistleblower who captured worldwide headlines with revelations alleging that the social media company prioritized profits over online safety and galvanized regulators into cracking down on hate speech and misinformation.