Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has rejected a recommendation from its Oversight Board to suspend the account of former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. This decision was announced on Tuesday. Meta stated that it will not be suspending Hun Sen’s Facebook or Instagram page as it would not align with their policies, including the protocol on restricting accounts of public figures during civil unrest.
Hun Sen had already removed his Facebook page and banned Facebook representatives from operating in the country following the Oversight Board’s recommendation in June. However, he returned to the platform three weeks later, after briefly using Telegram as his main tool of public communication. His Cambodian People’s Party secured a large majority in the National Assembly after the main opposition party was disqualified from competing.
The Oversight Board recommended the suspension of Hun Sen’s account while overturning Meta’s decision to keep a video posted by Hun Sen on the platform. The board deemed the video to contain violent threats towards his political opponents and, due to the severity of the violation, recommended the suspension. However, unlike content decisions, the suspension of an account is nonbinding, leaving the final decision up to Meta.
The Cambodian Ministry of Post and Telecommunications celebrated Meta’s decision in a Facebook post, congratulating Meta Platforms Inc. for the fair judgment. The ministry criticized the Oversight Board for issuing “bad recommendations” that interfered with Cambodia’s internal affairs.
The Oversight Board operates independently from Meta and consists of a panel of global academics, experts, and civic leaders. It is funded by an independent trust provided by Meta. A spokesperson for the Oversight Board has affirmed their original decision and urged Meta to take all necessary measures to prevent public figures from exploiting its platforms to incite violence.
This decision regarding Hun Sen’s account is the latest challenge Meta has faced in handling content posted by political leaders. In the United States, Meta previously suspended former President Trump’s account following his posts related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. However, the two-year ban on Trump’s accounts was lifted in January, allowing him back on Meta’s platforms ahead of his 2024 presidential campaign.
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