Facebook recently overturned its decision to ban a meme that humorously depicted the Democratic presidential ticket as characters from the popular film “Dumb and Dumber.” The meme, which was initially removed in August, featured the faces of Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz superimposed onto the bodies of the film’s stars, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. The altered image, which showed Harris and Walz in a comedic pose, was initially flagged for violating Facebook’s policy against bullying and harassment, specifically its prohibition of “derogatory sexualized photoshop or drawings.”
The user who posted the meme appealed the decision to Meta’s Oversight Board, a body that reviews content moderation decisions made by the social media giant. After reviewing the case, the board decided to reinstate the post. The Oversight Board, which recently faced backlash for ruling that the anti-Israel phrase “From the river to the sea” does not constitute hate speech, stated that the meme was simply a satirical depiction of politicians and was easily recognizable as such.
The board did not release an image of the original post or meme, but similar versions matching its description were found online. In its case summary, the board expressed concerns about Meta’s potential over-enforcement of its bullying and harassment policy, particularly in the context of an election. The board suggested that such over-enforcement could lead to excessive removal of political speech and hinder the ability to criticize government officials and political candidates, even in a sarcastic manner.
Michael McConnell, co-chair of the Oversight Board, emphasized the importance of protecting social media users’ right to free speech. He stated that the majority of the board’s decisions are to uphold or restore content that Meta has removed. McConnell added that social media platforms should foster political debate and discussion, especially during elections, protests, and other social movements. He assured that the board would continue to hold Meta accountable to ensure its policies and enforcement are applied fairly.
The Oversight Board issued a summary decision on the case, which is defined as a situation where Meta has reversed its original decision on a piece of content after the board brought it to the company’s attention. A spokesperson for Meta confirmed that the company has reinstated the post, admitting that its removal was a mistake.
Meta has been under scrutiny for its content moderation practices in recent years. Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s CEO, faced backlash in August after admitting that the Biden-Harris administration had pressured Facebook to suppress COVID-related content during the pandemic, including memes and satire. The Oversight Board, which is funded by Meta but claims independence, has also faced questions about its impartiality.