by Barbara Ortutay and Matt O'Brien, AP Technology Writers — May 7, 2021 .
Facebook’s oversight board, which on Wednesday upheld the company’s ban of former President Donald Trump, also had some harsh words for the company. Calling Facebook’s indefinite ban of Trump a “vague, standardless penalty,” the board accused Facebook — its corporate sponsor — of seeking to ”avoid its responsibilities” by asking its quasi-independent oversight group to resolve the issue.
But critics aren’t convinced that the board’s decision represents a triumph of independence or accountability. Many, in fact, see its narrow focus on one-off content issues as a distraction from deeper problems such as Facebook’s massive power, its shadowy algorithms that can amplify hate and misinformation, and more serious and complicated questions about government regulation.