Facebook Updates Community Standards, Expands Appeals Process

Facebook announced changes to its content review policy Tuesday, adding an appeals process for removed content and releasing the internal guidelines it relies on to make content determinations.

While the social media giant has listed a set of publicly available community standards for several years, the latest update includes the more detailed guidelines that content reviewers use internally when deciding whether to allow or remove posts.

The updated appeals process will allow posters of removed photos, videos or posts to contest determinations they feel were wrongly made. Previously, appeals of community standards determinations were allowed only when a Facebook page, group or profile was removed entirely.

Facebook has been hesitant to reveal details of its content review policy in the past. But the company says Tuesday's announcement is part of its promise to "do better" and be more transparent about how it decides what stays up and what gets taken down. The changes come just weeks after CEO Mark Zuckerberg was grilled on Capitol Hillabout Facebook's alleged censorship of conservative viewpoints.

Zuckerberg was asked by multiple lawmakers during his marathon testimony about "Diamond and Silk,"two pro-Trump commentators who claim Facebook intentionally limited their presence on the site because of their political views. Zuckerberg apologized, calling the situation an "enforcement error" on Facebook's part, but the controversy raised questions about what type of content Facebook restricts and how it makes those decisions. Diamond and Silk are themselves set to testify before Congress later this week. - Read More

Facebook Updates Community Standards, Expands Appeals Process