Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law 52 (2020)
Crime as Cognitive Constraint
tort liability for corporations per se inasmuch as it is an argument
against corporate liability generally. Victims may nonetheless find
“some satisfaction from the judicial proceeding, the opportunity to tell
their story in a formal setting and the finding of liability.” 263
More often than not, the threat of reputational harm is more real
than a fine. When Facebook received international scrutiny for its
content moderation failures, the threat of reputational damage
appeared to prompt it to action. In the wake of public condemnation,
Facebook banned the Tatmadaw commander-in-chief from the
platform, commissioned a human rights impact assessment on
Myanmar, hired more human reviewers fluent in Myanmar language,
rolled out content moderation and transparency initiatives, organized
worldwide Community Standards fora to better articulate their policy
to the public, and announced its plan to establish the Facebook
Oversight Board. 264 Public scrutiny turned out to be a very potent
behavioral tool. It is also not guaranteed. The threat of litigation can
pressure companies to internalize the risk of transgression. It eliminates
the moral hazard caused by corporations’ de facto immunity under the
current international legal framework. As Steinitz observes,
corporations operating in transnational contexts have “little incentive
to act with the kind of care they would exercise if they were to
internalize the costs of their management decisions.” 265 Yet, there is no
indication that the threat of penal sanction would more effectively
reduce this moral hazard.
B.
Cause of action
In exploring the “applicable law” 266 for an ICCJ, Steinitz proposed
that the ICCJ adjudicate “cross-border mass tort cases.” 267 In her view,
these cases contemplate “the most serious kinds of torts” as well as
environmental claims. 268 It would cover “intentional torts and
negligence that results in physical injury.” 269 Intentional torts can
include false imprisonment (e.g. slavery, human trafficking), battery
263. Conceptualizing Violence under International Law, supra note 241, at 605.
264. See Su, supra note 236; Removing Myanmar Military Officials from
Facebook, supra note 236; Product Policy Forum Minutes, supra note 236;
Guy Rosen, How Are Doing at Enforcing our Community Standards?,
(Nov.
15,
2018),
FACEBOOK
https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2018/11/enforcing-our-communitystandards-2/ [https://perma.cc/5D4X-Q2BZ].
265. Steinitz, supra note 240, at 79.
266. Id. at 154.
267. Id. at 152.
268. Id. at 154.
269. Id. at 155.
188