Facebook agrees to be (a little) more transparent about its moderation of VIP accounts
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 9:45 am
In response to a report from its oversight committee, Facebook said it was reviewing its special control system for large accounts, but remained cautious about other recommendations.
It's unclear whether this announcement will signal the end of privileges for Facebook's VIP accounts. On March 3, Meta (Facebook's parent company) responded to the recommendations made by its oversight board. The social network tentatively indicated it was reviewing its moderation policy for VIP accounts, but rejected the most significant measures, reports the Wall Street Journal .
Last December, Meta's Oversight Board issued 32 recommendations regarding "cross-checking." This highly obscure check is aimed at accounts with a large following on Facebook. They are not subject to the automatic post checks that all other accounts are subject to. If a post from one of these accounts is deemed problematic by the automatic check, these users will receive special treatment because they are of greater public interest.
In fact, normally the publication is immediately removed. In this case, the content remains online while undergoing a second review, a process that generally takes several days, and sometimes several months.
Among its recommendations, the supervisory board urges Meta to take steps to improve the transparency of this system and to prevent favouritism of certain accounts, particularly political ones.
Meta takes note
Meta promises to address 26 of the report's 32 recommendations. But its commitments remain tentative. The Menlo Park-based company has stated that it agrees to provide regular reports on the transparency of the "cross-checking" program and to limit the publication of content from taiyuan mobile number database who have violated moderation rules.
But Meta has refused to implement important provisions, including one that requires publicizing the VIP accounts that benefit from this special control, which include none other than executives, actors, singers, politicians, etc. The company also refuses to provide the criteria that allow a user to benefit from this program.
A Wall Street Journal investigation published in September 2021 found that the "cross-checking" program was poorly overseen and the source of numerous instances of favoritism. For example, Facebook's top executives intervened to protect an internationally renowned soccer star from posting nude images.
Following this investigation, Meta asked its supervisory board to establish recommendations, which apparently proved to be more symbolic than useful.
It's unclear whether this announcement will signal the end of privileges for Facebook's VIP accounts. On March 3, Meta (Facebook's parent company) responded to the recommendations made by its oversight board. The social network tentatively indicated it was reviewing its moderation policy for VIP accounts, but rejected the most significant measures, reports the Wall Street Journal .
Last December, Meta's Oversight Board issued 32 recommendations regarding "cross-checking." This highly obscure check is aimed at accounts with a large following on Facebook. They are not subject to the automatic post checks that all other accounts are subject to. If a post from one of these accounts is deemed problematic by the automatic check, these users will receive special treatment because they are of greater public interest.
In fact, normally the publication is immediately removed. In this case, the content remains online while undergoing a second review, a process that generally takes several days, and sometimes several months.
Among its recommendations, the supervisory board urges Meta to take steps to improve the transparency of this system and to prevent favouritism of certain accounts, particularly political ones.
Meta takes note
Meta promises to address 26 of the report's 32 recommendations. But its commitments remain tentative. The Menlo Park-based company has stated that it agrees to provide regular reports on the transparency of the "cross-checking" program and to limit the publication of content from taiyuan mobile number database who have violated moderation rules.
But Meta has refused to implement important provisions, including one that requires publicizing the VIP accounts that benefit from this special control, which include none other than executives, actors, singers, politicians, etc. The company also refuses to provide the criteria that allow a user to benefit from this program.
A Wall Street Journal investigation published in September 2021 found that the "cross-checking" program was poorly overseen and the source of numerous instances of favoritism. For example, Facebook's top executives intervened to protect an internationally renowned soccer star from posting nude images.
Following this investigation, Meta asked its supervisory board to establish recommendations, which apparently proved to be more symbolic than useful.