Oversight Board Is Wrong to Uphold Facebook’s Suspension of Trump

Facebook’s Oversight Board decided to uphold Facebook’s and Instagram’s suspension of former President Donald Trump from their platforms today. This decision is the wrong one, and one that all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, should be concerned about. However, the Oversight Board was entirely appropriate to admonish Facebook for the fact that its penalty was vague and standardless.

Big Tech companies should not be allowed to play by a set of rules that give them undue influence over American society while also avoiding any accountability for how they use that influence. It is time for Congress to act and reform Section 230—which protects publishing platforms from being held liable for content posted by users—in a way that respects the rights of those engaged in private enterprise. True reform must also ensure that companies like Facebook and Instagram take responsibility for the choices they make—especially when it comes to censoring individuals and opinions they don’t like.

Letting politically motivated companies police themselves as they manipulate civic discourse is not a long-term solution consistent with America’s values.