30/9/22, 14:55
Oversight Board | Independent Judgment. Transparency. Legitimacy.
allows the Board to issue policy advisory statements on how Facebook s content
moderation practices are applied, including with the use of automation.
For these reasons, the Board finds that its authority to review this case is not affected by
Facebook’s decision to restore the content after the Board selected the case. The Board
proceeds with its review of the original decision to remove the content.
4. Relevant Standards
The Board considered the following standards in its decision:
I. Facebook’s Content Policies:
The Community Standard on Adult Nudity and Sexual Activity’s policy rationale states
that Facebook aims to restrict the display of nudity or sexual activity because some
people “may be sensitive to this type of content” and “to prevent the sharing of nonconsensual or underage content.” Users should not “post images of real nude adults,
where nudity is defined as […] uncovered female nipples except in the context of […]
health-related situations (for example, post-mastectomy, breast cancer awareness […]).”
Instagram’s Community Guidelines state a general ban on uncovered female nipples,
specifying some health-related exceptions, but do not specifically include “breast cancer
awareness.” The Community Guidelines link to Facebook’s Community Standards.
II. Facebook’s Values:
The Facebook values relevant to this case are outlined in the introduction to the
Community Standards. The first is “Voice”, which is described as “paramount”:
The goal of our Community Standards has always been to create a place for expression
and give people a voice. […] We want people to be able to talk openly about the issues
that matter to them, even if some may disagree or find them objectionable.
Facebook limits “Voice” in service of four values. The Board considers that two of these
values are relevant to this decision:
https://www.oversightboard.com/decision/IG-7THR3SI1
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