Facebook’s independent oversight board ruled on Wednesday that the company was justified in banning Donald Trump from its platform in January, but didn’t appropriately explain if or why he should be permanently locked out.
But even Facebook’s own board sidestepped taking a position on whether political favoritism played a role in the decision to ban Trump. In a conference call after the decision was announced, board co-chairman Michael McConnel, a former federal appeals court judge, admitted the possibility of bias is a legitimate concern.
“When you do not have clarity, consistency and transparency, there’s no way to know,” said McConnell. “This is not the only case in which Facebook has engaged in ad hockery.”