Meta is considering softening its stance on restricting COVID-19 misinformation over Facebook and Instagram.
The company has been removing false claims about the virus and COVID-19 vaccines since 2020 when the pandemic first began. The goal has been to prevent the misinformation from putting users into imminent harm.
But on Tuesday, Meta — formerly known as Facebook— suggested it’s starting to think the current policy may be too strict. “The world has changed considerably since 2020,” wrote Nick Clegg, the company’s president for global affairs.
Clegg noted Meta’s current policy calls for the removal of 80 distinct false claims about COVID-19 and the vaccines. However, he also said, “Meta is fundamentally committed to free expression and we believe our apps are an important way for people to make their voices heard.”
As a result, Meta is asking its Oversight Board —which acts as the company’s independent high court— for a recommendation on whether it should change the COVID-19 misinformation removal policy.
“As the pandemic has evolved, the time is right for us to seek input from the Oversight Board about our measures to address COVID-19 misinformation, including whether those introduced in the early days of an extraordinary global crisis remains the right approach for the months and years ahead,” Clegg said.
Cynical users may see this as an attempt by Meta to increase traffic over its social media platforms by turning a blind eye to sensational claims around COVID-19, which continues to be a hot topic. However, Clegg said the issue is more about balancing free speech against the need to stop dangerous content from proliferating.
“But resolving the inherent tensions between free expression and safety isn’t easy, especially when confronted with unprecedented and fast-moving challenges, as we have been in the pandemic,” he wrote. “That’s why we are seeking the advice of the Oversight Board in this case. Its guidance will also help us respond to future public health emergencies.”
Meta has offered the Oversight Board four approaches to its COVID-19 misinformation policy:
- The company could continue with the status quo, and remove the COVID-19 misinformation
- Resort to reducing the distribution of COVID-19 misinformation
- Rely on paid fact-checkers to decide which claims to remove
- Or simply label the misinformation with links to authoritative sources, allowing users to still see the content
But in all cases, Meta points outthe policy options are meant to be temporary, since the COVID-19 pandemic will eventually come to an end. The company is now asking the Oversight Board for guidance on “what factors” it should use to determine when the restrictions should finally lift.
The Oversight Board noted it could come up with its own policy recommendation. But whatever the board recommends won’t be binding. So Meta could choose to ignore it. In the meantime, the Oversight Board is asking for public comment to help it come to a decision on the matter.