The New York Times Recently published an article about Facebook and the way the company moderates its content. Accusing Facebook of being “ad hoc, ” “disorganized,” “secretive,” and doing things “on the cheap.” Facebook welcomed the debate but disagreed with the Times due to facts.
Facebook’s Public Policies
The Times mentioned “secretive”, but for years Facebook has published the Community Standards. Therefore, allowing individuals access to a complete guide that outlines what is and isn’t allowed on Facebook. Not to mention, recently Facebook published the internal guidelines they use to enforce those standards. Click here to view Facebooks Community Standards.
Policies Are Carefully Considered
The Times got one thing right, Facebook does update its policies to stay relevant. But the process is far for “ad hoc.” Changes to policies are based on:
- New trends the reviewers see
- Feedback from inside and outside the company
- Unexpected and dramatic changes on the ground
Facebook holds a global forum every two weeks where they discuss potential changes to the policies. The Times refers to it as a gathering “over breakfast” among young lawyers and engineers. However, these engineers and lawyers are experts in relevant laws, online safety, counter-terrorism, public policy, communications, etc. On top of that, these meetings include:
- Human rights experts
- Individuals who have studied hate and extremist organizations
- Former law enforcement and public servants
Facebook continues to seek outside input. As a result, they can better understand multiple perspectives on topics. As well as observe how policies impact different communities.
Employees are Focused on Accuracy Not Quotas
30,000 team members are responsible for safety on Facebook. Also, 15,000 are content reviewers from all around the world. Unlike reports, reviewers do not have quotas for the number of reports they complete and compensation is not based on the amount of content reviewed. With that said, reviewers are encouraged to take their time as they review reports.
To Wrap It Up
Content reviewers are hired for their language expertise and cultural context. Facebook reviews content in over 50 languages and has more than 20 sites around the world that provide 24/7 support. In summary, content review on Facebook is far from what the Times reported. Would love to hear your thoughts.
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