Meta’s first human rights report is largely self-congratulatory

The first annual human rights report from Meta includes insights and actions from due diligence on products, countries and responses to emerging crises. The 83-page report, covering the years 2020 and 2021, strikes a largely self-congratulatory tone, but fails to touch on allegations of biased content moderation.

Over the years, regulators and civil rights groups have claimed that Meta fails to put in place proper safeguards against hate speech in the U.S. Evidence suggests that Meta's business practices have played a role in abuses from digital redlining to the insurrection at the U.S Capitol. An internal study done by the company found that the majority of people who join extremists do so because of the company's recommendations.

Miranda Sissons joined Meta three years ago and spearheaded the human rights report. Meta says it has struck a balance between freedom of expression and security, with policies to fight health misinformation and emerging threats. Privacy and safety risks associated with Ray-Ban Stories, its glasses that can record photos and videos, are explored in the report.

The report ignores Meta's efforts to date in India, where its products have often been overwhelmed with inflammatory content. Meta commissioned an assessment of its India operations in 2020 from the law firm, but the report today contains only a summary of that assessment and Sissons has said that Meta doesn't plan to release it in its entirety

The potential for Meta to be connected to human rights risks caused by third parties is noted in the summary. Human rights groups have accused Meta of narrowing the scope of the assessment and delaying its completion in order to implement the recommendations.

The report doesn't touch on the implications of the metaverse, which concerns human rights. The metaverse as it exists today across Meta's products has a sexual assault and moderation problem, according to reports. A reporting system that left the door open for repeat offenders was documented by a corporate watchdog.

Meta has conducted ad hoc assessments of its operations in several countries in the last few years. Pressure has increased on the company to show progress in stemming harmful content after high-profile leaks. About 100 people are working on human rights related issues at Meta, and the team she directly oversees has grown to eight people, according to Sissons.