Ms. Tawakkol Karman talked to Al Jazeera TV about being named among Facebook’s global oversight board and the mission of the board. 

In a televised interview with Al-Jazeera, Karman confirmed that the board’s primary mission is to oversee the content shared on the largest social media platform, based on respect for human rights standards and in accordance with international guarantees of freedom of opinion and expression and Facebook standards.

About whether the council’s establishment has been only an attempt to raise the profile of Facebook or a means to whitewash its mistakes, she confirmed that the goal of the council members is not to defend Facebook or take on legal responsibility on behalf, explaining that the board members will serve as a critical lens, and hold Facebook accountable. 

According to Ms. Karman, the council will operate transparently and clearly and its decisions will be binding on Facebook, pointing out that the Council is completely independent of the company and that all members – though they have different languages and identities - are unanimous on the importance of defending freedom of expression.

The Nobel laureate noted that the content allowed to be removed is that which incites hatred, violence, terrorism and racism.

She also noted that the council meets almost daily to establish mechanism of action, stating that there are three mechanisms, namely appeals of users, cases referred by Facebook and recommendations by the council to the company, and that the council will publish decisions and statements about Facebook's commitment to these decisions on its own website.

In her view, Facebook and Instagram are a civilizational achievement for humanity, and attempts by governments to monopolize the media and information and fight such platforms and voices are something annoying.

She added that through her membership in the council she will defend the empowerment of the voices of people all over the world, particularly in the Arab region.

In response to campaigns against her, Ms. Karman replied that such campaigns by certain the region’s regimes are not something new, attributing them to her opposing positions and criticism of their policies and poor human rights record.

"I give positive response to other opinions," Ms. Karman emphasized, adding that those funded campaigns are made by electronic flies through fake accounts and that the council members expect such things.