News & Articles | Oversight Board

This update shares our progress in setting up the Oversight Board, and the pathway towards the Board hearing its first case over the coming months.

Today the impact of social media on people’s lives is hard to grasp. This can often be positive. As the world lives through a global health crisis, social media has become a lifeline for helping people and communities to stay connected become a lifeline for helping people and communities to stay connected.

In January 2020 Facebook published their proposed bylaws, which once ratified by our members, will provide the rules for operations and procedures. In addition, Thomas Hughes was announced as the Director of the Oversight Board Administration and will be responsible for supporting members and leading the staff.

Facebook published details on the process for appointing members to the board, from sourcing and vetting candidates to interviews, diversity considerations, selection, appointment and orientation. A recommendations portal is open for the ongoing collection of potential board members.

In June 2019 Facebook published the findings of their global consultation process in a report which summarized all of the feedback and recommendations gathered through events held globally.

In April 2019 Facebook opened a public consultation to allow people and organizations who were not able to attend regional workshops to provide their thoughts on how the board should be designed.