Facebook’s Civil Rights Audit support a $100 million investment in Black-owned small businesses, content creators and non-profits who use the platform. • Investing in a dedicated team to focus on studying responsible Artificial Intelligence methodologies and building stronger internal systems to address algorithmic bias. • Implementing significant changes to privacy policies and systems as a result of the Federal Trade Commission settlement that includes a privacy review of every new or modified product, service or practice before it is implemented. With each success the Auditors became more hopeful that Facebook would develop a more coherent and positive plan of action that demonstrated, in word and deed, the company’s commitment to civil rights. Unfortunately, in our view Facebook’s approach to civil rights remains too reactive and piecemeal. Many in the civil rights community have become disheartened, frustrated and angry after years of engagement where they implored the company to do more to advance equality and fight discrimination, while also safeguarding free expression. As the final report is being issued, the frustration directed at Facebook from some quarters is at the highest level seen since the company was founded, and certainly since the Civil Rights Audit started in 2018. The Auditors vigorously advocated for more and would have liked to see the company go further to address civil rights concerns in a host of areas that are described in detail in the report. These include but are not limited to the following: • A stronger interpretation of its voter suppression policies — an interpretation that makes those policies effective against voter suppression and prohibits content like the Trump voting posts — and more robust and more consistent enforcement of those policies leading up to the US 2020 election. • More visible and consistent prioritization of civil rights in company decision-making overall. • More resources invested to study and address organized hate against Muslims, Jews and other targeted groups on the platform. • A commitment to go beyond banning explicit references to white separatism and white nationalism to also prohibit express praise, support and representation of white separatism and white nationalism even where the terms themselves are not used. • More concrete action and specific commitments to take steps to address concerns about algorithmic bias or discrimination. This report outlines a number of positive and consequential steps that the company has taken, but at this point in history, the Auditors are concerned that those gains could be obscured by the vexing and heartbreaking decisions Facebook has made that represent significant setbacks for civil rights. 8