Facebook critics form rival oversight board over concerns of threat to democracy

It comes as Facebook prepares for its own independent board to get started ahead of the US election Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA

A team of academics and civil rights activists have come together to scrutinise Facebook amid concerns about the upcoming US election and its handling of hate speech.

The group is called the Real Facebook Oversight Board, in a deliberate swipe at Facebook’s own long-awaited independent Oversight Board, due for launch in October.