Meta is ending its fact-checking program. Should we start to worry?

Meta is ending eight years of cooperation with independent American journalists, including PolitiFact, to expose false information and hoaxes on their platforms. This represents a fundamental change in its approach to content moderation. According to Mark Zuckerberg the new model will resemble the Community Notes system on the X platform (formerly Twitter), he informs TampaBayTimes.

Zuckerberg emphasized in the video that complicated systems for content moderation caused errors that led to excessive censorship. This move is supposed to be a return to freedom of expression on Meta platforms, which mainly includes Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Fact-checking program so far indirectly limited the dissemination of content flagged as false, but never removed posts.

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Partnerships with fact-checking organizations, including PolitiFact, were an important part of this process. However, Meta claims that decisions to remove content were entirely within its competence. The decision to cancel the program concerns only the USA, where Meta cooperated with ten partners. Programs in other countries, including Europe, Brazil and India, they continue. Some organizations, such as the Poynter Institute, called the decision a step backwards and accused Zuckerberg of promoting misinformation in favor of a political agenda.

More negative than positive reviews

They especially welcomed this change Trump supporters, with Elon Musk calling him a “cool“. But critics warn it will open the door to proliferation political lies a misinformation. Experts fear that the new community-based assessment approach could be vulnerable to manipulation.

Although Meta says the move will promote free speech, digital rights organizations see it as an attempt to abdicate responsibility for user protection and their right to truthful information.

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