The board’s co-chairman read a passage containing the N-word during class — and the debate that followed foreshadows the speech debates to come.
Stanford University law professor Michael W. McConnell was nearing the end of a course on the creation of the Constitution last week when he decided to read a quote attributed to Patrick Henry from an 18th-century debate in Virginia. But first, McConnell paused the Zoom video recording, then the professor read the statement, which he said was intended to stoke racist opposition to ratification of the Constitution. The quote included the n-word. McConnell, who is white, resumed recording and turned to other topics, the student said.
This incident seems relevant to anyone looking to understand what the Oversight Board is, and how it might act. In fact, Facebook has said from the beginning that initially the board will only restore posts that the board concludes it has removed in error. Eventually the board will issue opinions on what Facebook ought to take down. The company’s community standards prohibit “direct attacks” on people based on their race. The McConnell incident —helps us understand how the board is likely to see the world.
Some of the hardest decisions about whether a post should stay up on Facebook will be made by an independent Oversight Board. The 40 members of the board were selected for their commitment to free speech values. They will allow Facebook and Instagram users to appeal when they believe that their posts have been removed in error. Facebook says it will abide by the board’s decisions, and will also ask it to issue advisory opinions on emerging policy questions.
Expression and voice is also a thing that routinely needs to be stood up for since it has the property that, you know, when something is uniformly positive, no one argues for taking it down. It’s always only when there’s something that’s controversial. It all feels related to a question. Will Facebook be a simple mirror for society, warts and all, or will it put a thumb on the scale for progressive change — including anti-racism?
Author: Casey Newton