The Oversight Board, an independent body that reviews Meta’s content moderation decisions, has issued a directive for the company to remove two AI-generated videos that were previously allowed to remain on Facebook. One video featured a Scottish Labour councillor depicted as making inflammatory remarks about refugees, while the other showed a young Muslim campaign volunteer falsely portrayed as providing health advice while engaging in bizarre behavior.

In its ruling, the board determined that Meta’s existing policies and enforcement mechanisms were insufficient to address the risks posed by AI-generated misinformation. The board argued that the videos violated community standards and that Meta’s failure to act promptly allowed harmful content to circulate. By ordering the removal of these videos, the board is pushing Meta to adopt a more rigorous approach to identifying and mitigating the spread of synthetic media.

Meta has faced increasing pressure to address the proliferation of deepfakes, particularly as AI tools become more accessible. While the board’s decision is binding in these specific cases, it also serves as a broader critique of the company’s internal safeguards. The board concluded that Meta’s current systems are not equipped to handle the scale and sophistication of modern AI-generated imagery, necessitating a significant overhaul of their moderation strategies to protect users from deceptive content.