Facebook Community Standards
Policies that outline what is and isn't allowed on the Facebook app.
Instagram Community Guidelines
Policies that outline what is and isn't allowed on the Instagram app.
Meta Advertising Standards
Policies for ad content and business assets.
Other policies
Other policies that apply to Meta technologies.
How Meta improves
How we update our policies, measure results, work with others, and more.
Our approach to the opioid epidemic
How we support communities in the face of the opioid epidemic.
Our approach to elections
How we help prevent interference, empower people to vote and more.
Our approach to misinformation
How we work with independent fact-checkers, and more, to identify and take action on misinformation.
Our approach to newsworthy content
How we assess content for newsworthiness.
Our approach to Facebook Feed ranking
How we reduce problematic content in News Feed.
Our approach to explaining ranking
How we build AI systems.
Content Library and Content Library API
Comprehensive access to public data from Facebook and Instagram
Ad Library tools
Comprehensive and searchable database of all ads currently running across Meta technologies
Other research tools and datasets
Additional tools for in-depth research on Meta technologies and programs
Community Standards Enforcement Report
Quarterly report on how well we're doing at enforcing our policies on the Facebook app and Instagram.
Intellectual Property
Report on how well we're helping people protect their intellectual property.
Government Requests for User Data
Report on government request for people's data.
Content Restrictions Based on Local Law
Report on when we restrict content that's reported to us as violating local law.
Internet Disruptions
Report on intentional internet restrictions that limit people's ability to access the internet.
Widely Viewed Content Report
Quarterly report on what people see on Facebook, including the content that receives the widest distribution during the quarter.
Regulatory and Other Transparency Reports
Download current and past regulatory reports for Facebook and Instagram.
2023-039-FB-UA
Today, January 9, 2024, the Oversight Board selected a case appealed by a Facebook user regarding a video showing several men holding firearms. An individual in the video self-identifies as a member of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan and describes activities the RSF has taken such as the capture of an Egyptian “infiltrator” in Khartoum. The individual also makes reference to “our leader Mohamed Hamda” who is the Commander Lieutenant General of the RSF. The caption for the video mentions the presence of “foreigners from our evil neighbor.”
Upon initial review, Meta left this content up. However, upon further review, we determined the content did in fact violate our Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy, as laid out in the Facebook Community Standards, and was left up in error. We therefore removed the content.
Meta does not allow organizations or individuals that proclaim a violent mission or are engaged in violence to have a presence on our platforms. Meta also removes any content that contains “praise, substantive support and representation” of designated entities, including “organizations themselves, their activities, and their members.” Substantive support includes “channeling information or resources, including official communications, on behalf of a designated entity or event.” In this case, the user who posted the video is channeling information about the RSF – a designated terrorist organization (Tier 1) under our Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy – by posting the video of someone who self-identifies as a member of the RSF and describes activities the RSF has taken without a caption that “condemns, neutrally discusses, or is a part of news reporting.”
We will implement the board’s decision once it has finished deliberating, and we will update this post accordingly. Please see the board’s website for the decision when they issue it.
Case decision
We welcome the Oversight Board’s decision today, April 11, 2024, on this case. The Board overturned Meta’s original decision to leave this content up on Facebook. Meta previously removed this content.
When it is technically and operationally possible to do so, we will also take action on content that is identical and made in the same context.
After conducting a review of the recommendations provided by the Board, we will update this page with initial responses to those recommendations.
