Facebook’s semi-independent oversight board says it will review the company’s “XCheck,” or cross check, system following an investigation by The Wall Street Journal into the use of this internal system that has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules.
The board said Tuesday that it expects to have a briefing with Facebook on the matter and “will be reporting what we hear from this” as part of a report it will publish in October. It may also make other recommendations, although Facebook is not bound to follow these.
The Journal's report found that many VIP users abuse the system, “posting material including harassment and incitement to violence that would typically lead to sanctions." For certain elite users, Facebook's rules don't seem to apply. Facebook Inc. had told The Journal that the system “was designed for an important reason: to create an additional step so we can accurately enforce policies on content that could require more understanding.” The company added that criticism of it was “fair" and that it was working to fix it.
A representative for Facebook declined to comment further on Tuesday.
The Journal's report, the board said, has drawn “renewed attention to the seemingly inconsistent way that the company makes decisions, and why greater transparency and independent oversight of Facebook matter so much for users."
Apple has rolled out an update to its operating system this week with a feature called Stolen Device Protection. It makes it a lot harder for phone thieves to access key functions and settings, and users are being urged to turn it on immediately.
The U.S. economy grew at an unexpectedly brisk 3.3% annual pace from October through December as Americans showed a continued willingness to spend freely despite high interest rates and frustrating price levels.
Alan Becker, CEO and Investment Adviser Representative at Retirement Solutions Group and RSG Investments, shares his thoughts on the latest GDP data plus why he's not sold cryptocurrency as a long-term asset.
The Biden administration wants to ban another type of bank “junk fee," targeting fees that are typically charged by banks when a transaction is declined in real time.
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Online retailer eBay Inc. will cut about 1,000 jobs, or an estimated 9% of its full-time workforce. The announcement follows similar moves by other tech companies that ramped up hiring during the pandemic while people spent more time and money online.
