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Episode 75 Meta Ends Third-Party Fact-Checking: Implications for Users and Society
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Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has decided to end its third-party fact-checking program. This move was announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a video titled “More speech and fewer mistakes.” According to Zuckerberg, the decision to remove fact-checking is driven by the belief that fact-checking organizations have been politically biased and have undermined trust.
Instead of relying on third-party fact-checkers, Meta will implement a new system called “Community Notes.” This system, similar to the one used by X (formerly Twitter), will allow users to add context and corrections to posts that may contain misleading information.
Fact-checking organizations have rejected accusations of liberal bias and emphasized that they never had the authority to remove content or censor posts, claiming Meta was always the ultimate arbiter of content moderation decisions.
The shift to Community Notes has raised concerns among misinformation experts and digital rights groups, climate change activists who argue that this change could lead to an increase in misinformation on Meta’s platforms. Some researchers argue Community Notes are not effective.
Meta’s decision to end fact-checking has been in response to a change in political landscape in the US, aligned with a trend towards less regulated and more freewheeling internet content.
While opponents scream “free speech” over content moderation, there are grave implications on the three + billion active users on the platform. We are pleased to welcome:
Eryk Salvaggio, author of the Cybernetic Forests newsletter. He is a researcher, writer and artist who examines the social and cultural impacts of technology.
He is a visiting professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Humanities, Computers and Design as well as the emerging technologies research advisor for the Siegel Family Endowment and is a 2025 Fellow with Tech Policy Press.
Maria Amelie is cofounder and CEO of Factiverse. Pioneering solutions for live fact-checking and news, video and audio due diligence. They help media, finance, and government to verify crucial content and mitigate legal and branding risks.
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