Why is Meta shutting down fact-checkers? | Explained

Is crowd-sourced fact-checking a better way of implementing content moderation? What role did fact-checkers play during the COVID-19 pandemic? How have fact-checking communities responded to Zuckerberg’s announcement? When are policy changes likely to be implemented?

The story so far: On January 7, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company will get rid of fact-checkers and simplify content policies by removing restrictions on topics as it is “out of touch with mainstream discourse.” In a five-minute video, he said that the company will return to its roots as the fact-checkers have been “too politically biased” and “destroyed more trust than they created, especially in the U.S.”

After the 2016 U.S. presidential election results were out, Meta, then known as Facebook, faced serious backlash for amplifying political posts that helped tilt the election in favour of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. To build back its reputation, Facebook roped in content moderators globally and developed technology to filter harmful content.

Read the full story at: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/why-is-meta-shutting-down-fact-checkers-explained/article69089803.ece