Facebook announces new ‘neutral supreme court’ body to police site – including ex-Danish PM and former Guardian editor 

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FACEBOOK’S new “neutral supreme court” body includes an ex-Danish PM and the former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger, it was revealed yesterday.

The social media giant has announced the first 20 members of its new independent oversight board, but it has been blasted for containing a string of left-wing figures.

Former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger has been put on the “neutral” panel

Critics have now accused boss Mark Zuckerberg of “blowing” his chance of setting up a “politically balanced” oversight committee for the social media giant due to the politics of some of the people involved.

Mr Rusbridger was editor of the left-leaning Guardian newspaper for 20 years, and recently claimed US television should stop showing President Trump’s White House press conferences.

His appointment is believed to have been pushed for by former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Nick Clegg, who is now head of public affairs at Facebook.

Denmark’s first female prime minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt has also joined, despite running left-wing campaigns that were pro-immigration and demanded high taxes.

The social democrat is also the wife of Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, who himself is the son of ex-party leader Neil.

Helle Thorning-Schmidt is now CEO of Save the Children
Nick Clegg is claimed to have been instrumental in Alan Rusbridger’s appointment

Facebook bosses hope the board will help it improve after a heavy backlash for its role in the spread of fake news.

The appointments sparked fury among Tory MPs, who claimed Facebook had “failed miserably” to provide political balance.

Damian Green, a Conservative MP and member of the Commons’ Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, said: “Globally, Facebook is much more important than any newspaper or broadcaster, so it has a consequent responsibility to demonstrate it is open to a range of views.”

Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski said: “It is important that any organisation, be it a global corporate or local government, benefits from a plurality of views which are reflective of the societies in which they operate.”

Backbencher Andrew Bridgen said: “It seems strange that any company which aims to offer services to a population would consistently recruit to positions of considerable responsibility individuals with what are clearly minority political views.

“It is not only bad practice – it’s also bad business and risks alienating the majority of their customer base”.

Yemeni human rights activist Tawakkol Abdel-Salam Karman is also on the list

Other members include vice president of the libertarian Cato Institute John Samples, Columbia University law professor Jamal Green, Brazilian technology lawyer Ronaldo Lemos and former European Court of Human rights judge András Sajó.

Another is conservative US judge Michael McConnell, who insisted the board would not be biased.

He said: “If we do our jobs right, this will bring about a degree of political and cultural neutrality in the decision making.

“One of the things that disturbs many people about Facebook and other social media is that they feel they may have a thumb on the scale in favour of one ideology or one political movement over another.”

Facebook public policy director Brent Harris yesterday claimed the board showed the “beginning of a fundamental change in the way some of the most difficult content decisions on Facebook will be made.’”

The firm’s board director Thomas Hughes added: “This is a group that has a diverse set of insights, backgrounds, and beliefs but share a deep commitment to advancing human rights and freedom of expression.”

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.hellofaread.com/politics/britain-facing-worst-recession-on-record-bank-of-england-warns-as-boris-plans-to-partially-ease-lockdown/