(TOWNHALL) – A Facebook Oversight Board member said that free speech is not “an absolute” right and should be weighed against “other human rights” when determining if content should be censored by the tech giant. Board member Helle Thorning Schmidt, who is also a former Danish Prime Minister, said Thursday that “free speech is not an absolute human right.”
The Facebook Oversight Board, which consists of 20 members from around the world, was created last year to help corporate executives to distance themselves from decisions considered to be politically. The board previously recommended that Facebook continue its ban placed the account of former President Donald Trump, which was initially imposed following the Capitol riot on Jan. 6.
Although U.S. courts have found the right to free speech isn’t absolute, the U.S. has strong legal and cultural support for the free distribution of information. Other countries have starkly different standards, some even mandating digital censorship.
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