Facebook recently updated itscommunity standards . As the companynotedin the announcement go with the alteration , their “ policies and standards themselves are not change , ” but that they want to provide more uncloudedness to a exercise set of live rules that have often been misunderstood by users .
While some of the changes render significantly more detail as to the reasoning behind sure substance restrictions , others fall short . And unfortunately , the updated criterion do very minuscule to solve the continuing problem of account suspensions for “ real public figure ” ravishment .
“Real Names”
Evenin the last week and a halfFacebook hascontinued to suspend usersfor violations of its “ substantial names ” policy , a insurance whichwe’ve arguedcauses genuine earth harm . In the latest story to get promotion , a stripling with thelegal name Isis Kinghad her news report suspended by Facebook for a names insurance policy violation — until a media interrogation . The latest update to the community standards wo n’t change the experience of users like Isis King , but it does elucidate where Facebook remain firm .
Prior to the variety , the standardsread : “ On Facebook people connect using their real names and indistinguishability . ” Because Facebook enquire for ID when handling appeals and blocks certain words from being accede in the “ name ” field at write up creation , most substance abuser have take over that when Facebook says “ genuine name , ” the company really means “ effectual name . ”
Using Your Authentic individuality : How Facebook ’s real name requirement creates a safe environs .
People connect on Facebook using their authentic individuality . When people digest behind their opinions and actions with their authentic name and report , our community of interests is more accountable …
Nevertheless , the company’sStatement of Responsibilities — the effectual textual matter underpinning the Community Standards — still contains language referring to material names :
Facebook users provide their tangible names and information , and we necessitate your help to keep it that way .
While we ’re happy to see that Facebook is changing how it communicates this guideline to users , it ’s a very small alteration in the fount of the continuing reports that Facebook is suspending users ’ account for name insurance policy rape .
Content policy
Facebook ’s content policy — and how they are implemented — have often left users confuse . For example , the company told us that images of mother lactate were never meant to be bound , yetnumerous instancesof such photograph being remove have led to a relentless belief that the ship’s company bans such images .
The in style iteration of the residential area standard is mean to ply extra uncloudedness to users . As the New York Times ’ Vindu Goelput it , “ [ Despite ] its published guidelines , the abstract thought behind Facebook ’s decisions to block or allow content are often opaque and inconsistent . ”
In respect to some topics , Facebook has sure met their end . The section on intimate vehemence and development , for good example , position out legion examples of what the company view as unacceptable . A department on “ attack on public figures ” clarifies that Facebook does not absent criticism of public figures … unless it constitutes detest address , in which they address the depicted object as they would if the target were not noted .
Other sections leave more to be desired . While Facebook ’s rule about “ dangerous organizations ” make clear that groups engaged in “ terrorist ” or “ organized criminal ” activity have no place on the chopine , there is no extra clarity on how terrorist groups are delineate , despitesome evidencethat the definitions are underpinned by US law of nature .
Appeals
Content - host intermediaries like Facebook should provide robust appeals processes for substance abuser . Facebook ’s headland of world-wide policy management , Monika Bickert , recentlytold the New YorkTimes :
If a person ’s account is suspended , those collection are read by existent people who can look into the specifics .
Although Facebookinstituted an appeals processin 2011 , the procedure is only available for user whose Page or Profile has been remove ; that is , there is no process for appeal when other contentedness — such as photos , posts , or videos — are removed . Furthermore , the operation is equivocal and does n’t seem to make much of a remainder to users , many of whom have contacted us following report hiatus .
Theappealsformitself is concentrated to detect . It ’s accessible through the help center field . But Facebook does n’t seem to in reality play up it as an pick in the endless screen users find themselves in when trying to verify their “ authenticity . ” Once user bump themselves in that summons , they are send to update their name , instead of being sent to the solicitation . When they select the link Facebook provides to its help center during the name verification process , that contact get going to inclination of ID , not to the appeal .
In fact , the charm is n’t available unless an chronicle has been entirely handicapped . Some users have had the experience of allow for ID to Facebook with a legal name that did n’t match their material name , only to have Facebook put that sound name on the news report . We ’ve been contacted by drug user with abusive stalkers , user who have public - facing jobs that use their drag name , and others who ’ve had this experience . Those users ca n’t enter the charm signifier once their account is erroneously restored .
Finally , in an impressive display of sarcasm , the collection cast demand exploiter to upload an ID . In other word , it requires users who are receive issues with Facebook ’s process of verifying identity ( using an ID ) to furbish up accounts to do just that — upload an ID , before even getting the probability to talk to someone . Considering that accounts have been restored with wrong names in grievous situation , user ’ hesitancy to upload an ID just to file an collection is perceivable .
If Facebook handle about its exploiter , it should make its appeal process easier to access and easy to habituate . It should permit ingathering for all types of off content , not just Profiles and Pages . And it certainly should n’t require ID as the first step .
While we think it ’s good that Facebook decided to furnish more clarity about its policies , it might be well served by improving those insurance policy and ensuring that Facebook is an approachable , open political program for its millions of user worldwide .
This article first appeared on Electronic Frontier Foundation and is republish here under Creative Commons license .
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