The Oversight Board of Meta has decided that the manipulated video featuring President Biden can stay on the internet.

A video on Facebook, which had been altered to falsely suggest that President Joe Biden engaged in inappropriate behavior towards women, will be allowed to remain on the platform. This decision was made by Meta’s Oversight Board, but it highlights a significant problem in Meta’s policies that need addressing. The board noted that this loophole poses a threat to global elections and should be closed as soon as possible.

The video in question was posted last spring and had been manipulated to create the false impression that Biden behaved inappropriately by repeatedly touching his adult granddaughter’s chest while placing an “I Voted” sticker. The Oversight Board reviewed the case after a user appealed Meta’s initial decision not to remove the content.

Meta’s policy on manipulated media currently applies only to AI-altered videos that make it appear as though someone said something they did not. It can only be enforced when both conditions are met and does not cover manipulated audio. Since the Biden video showed actions that were portrayed in the video, even though they were heavily edited to create a false impression, it was allowed to stay on the platform. The Oversight Board criticized Meta’s policy as being too narrow and urged the company to reconsider it, especially with the high number of elections scheduled for 2024.

The board expressed concern about the current form of Meta’s Manipulated Media policy, finding it incoherent and lacking clear justification. They argued that it should focus on preventing specific harms, such as those related to electoral processes, rather than solely on how content was created.

In response, Biden’s presidential campaign called Meta’s policy “nonsensical and dangerous,” urging Meta to reconsider it immediately. This recommendation comes after Meta faced backlash in the past for not taking swift action against manipulated content, such as the slowed-down video of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Meta’s policy on manipulated media does have exemptions for parody, satire, and selectively edited content, but it is now under scrutiny. Meta has stated that it will review the Oversight Board’s feedback and respond publicly to their recommendations within 60 days in accordance with its bylaws.