How Should Meta Be Governed for the Good of Society?
Nov 7, 2023
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Julie Owono, executive director of Internet Sans Frontières and a member of the Oversight Board, discusses how the Board governs Meta’s social and political power, the impact of the Board as an alternative to government regulation, and the need for accountability and limits on social media platforms to prevent disruptions to peace and democratic principles in society.
The Oversight Board serves as an independent governance entity for Meta, making binding decisions on content issues.
Balancing social impact and business interests is crucial for platforms like Facebook to prevent excessive government regulation.
Deep dives
The governance of Facebook/meta and its social impact
Facebook/meta, as a for-profit corporation with wide-ranging social impact, needs to effectively govern its social impact in a responsible manner.
The role and function of the Oversight Board
The Oversight Board was created to provide independent governance and decision-making on content issues for Facebook/meta. It includes members from diverse professional backgrounds and can make binding decisions and policy recommendations.
Challenges and considerations for business leaders and government regulation
Business leaders must balance the social impact of their platforms with their business interests. Government regulation should be approached cautiously, finding a middle ground between safeguarding important societal issues and preserving freedom of expression.
Julie Owono is executive director of Internet Sans Frontières and a member of the Oversight Board, an outside entity with the authority to make binding decisions on tricky moderation questions for Meta’s companies, including Facebook and Instagram.
Harvard Business School visiting professor Jesse Shapiro and Owono break down how the Board governs Meta’s social and political power to ensure that it’s used responsibly, and discuss the Board’s impact, as an alternative to government regulation, in the case, “Independent Governance of Meta’s Social Spaces: The Oversight Board.”
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