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Thomas  Hughes

Empowering social media users to take meaningful action regarding online content has long been the focus of governments, academics and civil society organizations around the world. Meta established the Oversight Board in 2020 to resolve the most significant and difficult questions around freedom of expression online. Last month, the Oversight Board Trust provided a one-time grant to allow the swift establishment of an independent, expert and effective body that will resolve European Union users’ content disputes on social media in accordance with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). This body, Appeals Centre Europe, will start accepting disputes relating to Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube and expects to launch in late 2024. In this thought-provoking discussion, we'll explore the challenges and opportunities of democratizing content governance, and how it can lead to a more diverse, transparent, and accountable online ecosystem.

A new route for redress: How will the Digital Services Act empower users to challenge platforms’ content decisions? [Hosted by Meta, Appeals Centre Europe & Oversight Board]] 

Social media companies are no longer the only players in town when it comes to moderation. The introduction of independent bodies like Meta's Oversight Board, which has the unique binding authority to take down or restore content on Facebook and Instagram, and now the Appeals Centre—a new body created by the EU’s Digital Services Act, which from this week will allow users across the EU to challenge decisions made by TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube—are changing the game. Join us for a conversation about how these developments mark a new era of accountability which increases safety and freedom of expression.

Thomas Hughes

CEO

Appeals Centre Europe