Meta's Oversight Board is calling for changes to the social media giant's policies on gender-based violence. In addition to overturning the decision to preserve a Facebook post making light of domestic abuse, the panel has recommended Meta create policies cracking down on content that "normalizes" the violence by celebrating, justifying or mocking it. The board members also want Meta to clarify that its anti-harassment provisions include serious physical injuries as "medical condition[s]."
The findings come in response to a 2021 Iraq post 'joking' about a woman being beaten for making a mistake writing to her husband. The woman in the photo was a Syrian activist, and the post contained a hashtag used for pro-women discussions in the country. A Facebook user reported the content three times in February this year, but the report was automatically closed as the complaint wasn't reviewed. Meta only pulled the post after the Oversight Board selected the user's appeal for review.