‘Dispiriting’: factchecker reacts to Meta’s move to scrap role
Mark Zuckerberg accused fact-checkers in US of making biased decisions
The Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced on Tuesday his company, Meta, would be scrapping factcheckers in the US, accusing them of making biased decisions and saying he wanted to enable greater free speech. Meta uses third-party independent factcheckers around the world. Here, one of them who works for the Full Fact organisation in London, explains what they do and reacts to Zuckerberg’s “dispiriting” allegation.
I have been a factchecker at Full Fact in London for a year, investigating suspicious content on Facebook, X and in newspapers. Our bread and butter includes a lot of video disinformation about wars in the Middle East and Ukraine and AI-generated fake video clips of politicians, which are getting harder to disprove. Colleagues work on Covid disinformation, cancer cure hoaxes and there’s a lot of climate stuff as we’re seeing more hurricanes and wildfires.
Continue reading...Topics
-
Meta Follows Elon Musk’s Lead, Moves Staffers to Billionaire-Friendly Texas
According to Mark Zuckerberg, Meta trust and safety workers will be relocated to Texas to prevent them from “censoring” users. Experts point to other advantages.Wired - 1d -
Meta’s factchecking partners brace for layoffs
Meta has provided over $100m for certified organizations to conduct factchecks on its platforms since 2016. Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to end factchecking on Facebook and Instagram in the US ...The Guardian - 9h -
Meta scrapped factcheckers ‘because systems were too complex’
Comments by co-chair of oversight board Helle Thorning-Schmidt come as X CEO welcomes rival’s move. The co-chair of Meta’s oversight board said the company’s systems had become “too complex”, as ...The Guardian - 21h -
Meta scraps fact-checking, brings back political content in latest Trump-friendly move
Meta announces intent to "restore free expression" on its platformsCNBC - 1d -
Why did Mark Zuckerberg end Facebook and Instagram’s factchecking program?
The social media giant enters a more partisan political era as its CEO pursues Donald Trump’s approval. Meta is shifting to the right, following the prevailing political winds blowing through the ...The Guardian - 1d -
Meta to end fact-checking and move to community monitoring
Meta is overhauling its fact-checking programs, ending the current system and adopting a "community notes" style of content moderation, similar to what is used on X. This will apply to posts on ...CBS News - 1d -
Meta to get rid of factcheckers and recommend more political content
Mark Zuckerberg says company will ‘dramatically reduce censorship’ across Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Meta will get rid of factcheckers, “dramatically reduce the amount of censorship” and ...The Guardian - 1d -
Plymouth scrap documentary about relegation fight after Rooney’s exit
Project driven by Wayne Rooney and his advisers Production company made Coleen Rooney documentary Plymouth have scrapped plans to make a documentary about their battle against relegation from ...The Guardian - 6d
More from The Guardian
-
California fires live: five people killed and landmarks threatened as wildfires rage across Los Angeles
Now 130,000 people under evacuation orders as communities affected from the Pacific Coast to inland Pasadena. Full report: overwhelmed firefighters struggle to contain blazes Visual explainer: ...The Guardian - 26m -
Meta’s changes to policing will lead to clash with EU and UK, say experts
Politicians criticise Mark Zuckerberg’s choice to scrap factcheckers, affecting Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Permitted ‘hateful conduct’ – what users can now say on Meta platforms Sweeping ...The Guardian - 12h -
Trump shares inflammatory video with crude reference to Netanyahu
President-elect’s post featuring economist Jeffrey Sachs comes weeks after Israeli PM claims two had a ‘warm’ chat. Donald Trump has shared inflammatory video content calling Benjamin Netanyahu a ...The Guardian - 7h -
‘We’re done’: owner of Walter White’s house in Breaking Bad puts it on market – for $4m
Modest family home in Albuquerque has a price tag fit for a meth kingpin – but owner Joanne Quintana warns buyers to prepare for hundreds of visitors a day. The modest suburban home used as Walter ...The Guardian - 3h -
North Korea learning from fighting with Russia against Ukraine, US warns
Diplomatic and military ties with Moscow making Pyongyang ‘more capable of waging war’, official says. North Korea is benefiting from its troops fighting alongside Russia against Ukraine, gaining ...The Guardian - 9h
More in World
-
South Korean Colonel Who Accused President of Whitewash Is Acquitted
The case, involving an inquiry into a marine’s death, had stoked political tensions long before President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment last month.The New York Times - 15m -
California fires live: five people killed and landmarks threatened as wildfires rage across Los Angeles
Now 130,000 people under evacuation orders as communities affected from the Pacific Coast to inland Pasadena. Full report: overwhelmed firefighters struggle to contain blazes Visual explainer: ...The Guardian - 26m -
Mozambique opposition leader returns from exile as police fire tear gas at his supporters
Yahoo News - 26m -
1/8: CBS Evening News
Firestorm brings death, destruction to Los Angeles County; Los Angeles fire official on the challenges crews are facingCBS News - 38m -
Oromay by Baalu Girma review – an Ethiopian classic
This political satire of insurrection and propaganda during the civil war, which is thought to have cost the author his life, gets an English translation at last. Oromay begins as it means to go ...The Guardian - 39m