The Role of Local Governments in Treaty Body Reporting

The U.S. recently submitted its country report to the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Notably, the report contains scattered references to county and city governments and their activities—indeed, local governments are often on the front lines of racial justice issues. Yet there is no meaningful assessment of their human rights records, nor any indication that they submitted information or analysis for the current reporting cycle. This absence is not surprising given that local governments in the U.S. have rarely engaged with treaty body reviews. Several international and domestic sources, however, lend support for the idea that local governments should be active participants in these reviews.

Profs. Hansel and Kaye Lead Global Panel Discussions at RightsCon 2021

In connection with the Clinic’s Human Rights and Social Media Initiative (HRSMI), Professors Mary Hansel and David Kaye moderated panels on applying international human rights law to social media platforms at RightsCon 2021. RightsCon, which took place from June 7-11, 2021, is the leading global conference on human rights in digital spaces.

The Facebook Oversight Board’s Missed Opportunity to Promote Gender Inclusivity*

This working paper discusses the Board’s human rights treatment of Case No. 2020-004-IG-UA, generally referred to as the “Breast Cancer Symptoms and Nudity Case.” The Board’s decision in this case centered on freedom of expression, as provided by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In doing so, the decision missed opportunities to highlight and delve into other human rights standards, including those calling for Facebook to be more gender responsive and inclusive.

Lost in Translation: How the Facebook Oversight Board’s Limited Language Capabilities Undermine Human Rights*

The Facebook Oversight Board purports to be accessible to and capable of meaningfully evaluating cases referred by users across the globe. Yet the Board’s limited language capabilities, even compared to those of the Facebook platform, undermine equitable access to the Board and obstruct its ability to gauge the full context of content under review.

ONLINE EVENT: The Decisions of Facebook’s Oversight Board – Implications for the Global South, particularly in Latin America

The Inter-American Dialogue, the International Justice Clinic at the University of California, Irvine School of Law and Columbia Global Freedom of Expression at Columbia University are pleased to present a panel discussion to understand the main aspects of Facebook’s Oversight Board, its decisions so far and their impact in the Global South, particularly in Latin America. Professors David Kaye and Mary Hansel serve as panelists.

The Facebook Oversight Board’s Decision on COVID Misinformation and Conspicuous Omission of the Right to Health*

The pandemic has created waves of information and misinformation on digital platforms that threaten individual and collective rights to health. Yet the Facebook Oversight Board’s decision confronting COVID-related health misinformation (the “French COVID Misinformation Case”) failed to address this crucial right. This omission is consistent with a broader trend of the Board prioritizing the right to freedom of expression at the expense of economic, cultural and social rights — which is inconsistent with authoritative human rights standards.

Riesenfeld Symposium, Professor Kaye Moderates a Panel on Social Media and Content Moderation

Professor David Kaye moderated a panel on Social Media and Content Moderation during the Riesenfeld Symposium organized by the Berkeley Journal of International Law. Panelists included Dr. Safiya Noble, Associate Professor at UCLA, Co-Founder and Co-Director at UCLA Center for