In 2019, Meta commissioned Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) to conduct an independent human rights review to inform the development of governance and operational structures for the Oversight Board.

BSR’s review of this novel remedy mechanism focused on identifying salient human rights impacts and made 34 recommendations to both Meta and the Board across seven areas: harms and impacts, vulnerable groups, remedy, decision-making, informed consent, safety and integrity, and transparency. This review substantially informed our approach to enshrining human rights principles in the Oversight Board Charter and Bylaws.

A follow-up review and gap analysis by BSR, commissioned by the Oversight Board itself a year later, found that 17 of the original recommendations are benefiting from good progress, 9 are benefiting from partial progress, 5 are not yet determined, and 3 are not yet addressed.

Read the original human rights review.

In 2020, Meta commissioned Article One Advisors to conduct an independent HRIA on the role of our services in the Philippines, informed by qualitative and statistically significant quantitative research.

Article One’s HRIA found that Meta’s products play an important role in enabling freedom of expression and association, especially for human rights defenders, journalists, government critics and marginalized communities, and in providing access to economic opportunities. The HRIA also identified a number of salient human rights risks, including online harassment, spread of misinformation and incitement of violence.

The HRIA made 40 recommendations, covering mis/disinformation, online harassment, incitement to violence, online sexual exploitation, trafficking, extremist activity and corporate accountability. Meta has committed to implement 24 recommendations, partly implement 7, and assess the feasibility of another 9.

In 2018, Meta commissioned Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) to conduct an independent HRIA on the role of our services in Cambodia.

BSR identified a number of positive human rights impacts of Meta products and services in Cambodia, including their essential role in enabling freedom of expression and access to information and contribution to economic, social and cultural rights. The HRIA also noted a number of risks, including those related to security of person, surveillance, self-censorship, hate speech, harassment of women and LGBTQ+ individuals, misinformation and child sexual exploitation.

In response to BSR’s 22 recommendations, Meta took steps to improve enforcement and transparency of our Community Standards, begin the development of a program for human rights defenders, increase engagement and trust with Cambodian rights holders, invest in system-wide change in Cambodia, increase investment in content and security risk mitigation and improve corporate governance of human rights issues.

In 2018, Meta commissioned Article One Advisors to conduct an independent HRIA on the role of our services in Sri Lanka.

The HRIA identified a range of positive impacts, including the role of the platform in allowing human rights defenders, journalists and disadvantaged groups to exercise their freedom of expression, association and political participation rights; contributions to economic and cultural rights; and role in improving emergency response. Article One also identified a number of salient risks and adverse impacts, including those associated with hate speech and rumors targeting religious minorities; bullying and harassment of human rights defenders and LGBTQ+ individuals; gender-based attacks; and child sexual exploitation.

In response to the HRIA’s 28 recommendations, Meta took steps to improve corporate-level accountability, evolve our Community Standards, invest in changes to platform architecture, address challenges to platform-level grievance mechanisms, conduct ongoing due diligence, increase transparency and use leverage to address root cause challenges.

In 2018, Meta commissioned Article One Advisors to conduct an independent HRIA on the role of our services in Indonesia.

The HRIA identified a range of positive impacts related to freedom of expression, association and opinion; economic and cultural rights; political participation; and support for vulnerable communities. Article One also identified a number of salient risks and adverse impacts, including those associated with mis/disinformation, government restrictions to freedom of expression, bullying and harassment, privacy, child sexual exploitation and gender-based attacks.

In response to the HRIA’s 37 recommendations, Meta took steps to improve corporate-level accountability, evolve our Community Standards, invest in changes to platform architecture, address challenges to platform-level grievance mechanisms, conduct ongoing due diligence, increase transparency and use leverage to address root cause challenges.

In 2018, Meta commissioned Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) to conduct an independent HRIA of the role of our services in Myanmar.

BSR concluded that, prior to 2018, Meta had not done enough to help prevent our platform from being used to foment division and incite offline violence. The HRIA made recommendations related to governance and accountability; enforcement of our content policies; engagement, trust and transparency; advocacy efforts aimed at reform in Myanmar; and preparation for the 2020 elections.

These recommendations helped shape our approach to Myanmar, informing significant investments in content moderation, policy changes, product development and governance of human rights work at Meta.