Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced on Thursday that it will begin testing its community-driven fact-checking initiative, Community Notes, starting on March 18. This program will be based on a rating system similar to the one utilized by Elon Musk’s X company. Previously, Meta had discontinued its fact-checking program in January, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg citing concerns about political bias among fact-checkers. This decision was met with criticism from media experts and social media researchers who viewed it as a setback in the fight against misinformation.
According to Dan Evon, lead writer for RumorGuard, a digital tool by the News Literacy Project, removing fact-checking services not only deprives users of a valuable resource but also legitimizes the false narrative that fact-checking is politically biased. Fact-checkers play a crucial role in providing context to viral claims that can mislead and misinform millions of users on Meta’s platforms. Meta had initiated fact checks in response to concerns about the spread of “fake news” following Donald Trump’s election in 2016. Despite working with numerous organizations in multiple languages to combat misinformation, Meta’s decision to discontinue fact checks has raised concerns about its commitment to this cause.
Community Notes will gradually replace fact checks in the U.S., with the company inviting potential contributors to join the program. However, notes written by contributors will not be immediately visible to the public as Meta plans to first assess the writing and rating system. Unlike fact checks, posts flagged with Community Notes will not face distribution penalties, as Meta aims to promote diverse viewpoints and community consensus in this new initiative. While fact checks will continue outside the U.S. for the time being, Meta intends to introduce Community Notes globally in the future.
