Meta’s Oversight Board Begins Review of Viral Biden Video

Meta’s Oversight Board will formally review a digitally altered video of President Joe Biden that went viral in early 2023. From studying the clip, the board could offer guidance that affects political content on Facebook and Instagram during the presidential campaign.

The video alters footage taken in October from Biden accompanying his 18-year-old granddaughter, Natalie, as she votes for the first time. It was re-edited to appear like Biden touched her inappropriately. A caption appended to the video called the president "a sick pedophile."

It was widely seen on Facebook in May, and the company chose not to take it down after repeated reports from users about it. Meta has established some rules about misinformation created through artificial intelligence and guidelines prohibiting videos that show someone saying something they didn't. But the Biden video didn't fall into either category.

Meta's Oversight Board will solicit public opinion regarding the video before issuing a final recommendation to Facebook, which the company could choose not to follow.

If the company declines to follow the board's suggestions, it could renew criticism that it is too lax about what appears on its apps, a situation made more complicated by the increase of political misinformation that typically comes during a presidential election.