Meta’s decision to end its third-party fact-checking programme is raising questions about the future of misinformation management on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
The move, announced by the company’s founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday, shifts responsibility for identifying and addressing false information from professional fact-checkers to a new crowdsourced system called Community Notes, sparking debate over that system's effectiveness.
Why is Meta ending fact-checking?
Meta says the move is aimed at promoting free expression and reducing accusations of bias in content moderation.
"The fact-checkers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they've created, especially in the US," Mr Zuckerberg said. Notably, his announcement follows years of criticism directed at Meta for its failure to effectively address hate speech, disinformation, and other problematic content on Facebook and Instagram.
But while Meta claims the change will boost open dialogue and ensure impartiality in content moderation, some industry experts have questioned its ability to effectively combat misinformation. They warned that relying on user-driven moderation could allow misinformation to go unchecked.
Why have fact-checkers criticised Meta's decision?
Fact-checking company Full Fact, which has participated in Meta’s third-party fact-checking programme since January 2019, said the move was “disappointing and a backward step that risks a chilling effect around the world”. From safeguarding elections to protecting public health and dissipating potential unrest on the streets, fact-checkers are first responders in the information environment, Chris Morris, chief executive of Full Fact, said.
“We absolutely refute Meta's charge of bias – we are strictly impartial, fact-check claims from all political stripes with equal rigour and hold those in power to account through our commitment to truth,” Mr Morris said. While working with Meta, Full Fact has checked images, videos and articles on Meta platforms and received income depending on the amount of fact-checking. It discloses all funding it receives exceeding £5,000 ($6,177) and claims it is editorially independent with no interference from funders.
How will the Community Notes system work?
The new community notes system relies on user-driven contributions to address misinformation. It allows platform users to add context or corrections to potentially misleading posts. However, for a note to appear publicly, contributors with diverse viewpoints must agree on its accuracy.
This approach ensures that the added information represents a consensus and avoids bias towards one-sided perspectives, Meta said. The Elon Musk-owned X, previously called Twitter, launched its Community Notes feature, originally called Birdwatch, in January 2021 for content moderation.
What does the change mean for Meta?
The move could support the California-based company's efforts to move away from allegations of censorship while balancing free speech with accountability.
Taylor Barkley, director of public policy at the Washington-based Abundance Institute, said the change represents “solid moves” by Meta. “During our year of tracking AI-generated election material, it was clear that a Community Notes system worked well at moderating content … it won't be perfect, but adapting new systems to more speech is the right move," he said.
Community notes are more trusted by users than professional fact-checkers providing misinformation labels, said John Katsos, a professor at the American University of Sharjah. “Academic research has shown the trust persists regardless of the user’s political persuasion. User trust is the key currency for social media platforms, so this is a logical step by Meta, ” Mr Katsos told The National.
“One potential problem is that stories from volatile regions are likely to get community notes put on them that are disproportionately from people with no real local knowledge of the setting, giving more control over the narrative to a much smaller number of users.”
However, some industry experts argued that by moving the responsibility for accuracy to its users, Meta has raised concerns about the system's effectiveness, speed and ability to tackle harmful content. Without professional oversight, the company is relying on crowd consensus to combat misinformation, a strategy that may prove inadequate against the rapid spread of fake stories and propaganda.
Fact-checking: vital yet vulnerable
Fact-checking, when done well, is a professional activity with standards, accountability and set procedures, but it has been too dependent on big-tech funding, experts say. “This vulnerability is exposed with Meta’s irresponsible shutdown of its fact-checking support programmes,” said Claes de Vreese, professor of artificial intelligence and society at the University of Amsterdam.
“Fact-checking is an important part of the information ecosystem. Removing it from the Meta universe is a step in the wrong direction and does not contribute to being compliant with EU regulations.”
This decision could also spark reactions from other regions, such as Europe. “Misinformation doesn’t respect borders, so European fact-checkers will be closely examining this development to understand what it means for our shared information environment,” Mr Morris said. Mr Vreese stressed that Community Notes possesses distinct qualities, but lacks the core features that make fact-checking effective and reliable.
Why is Meta moving its content analysis team to Texas?
Meta has also announced plans to relocate its content-review teams from California to Texas, a move it claimed will bring more diverse perspectives to its moderation policies. However, the company did not disclose the number of employees it will move to Texas. Meta’s relationship with Texas has been strained – it was forced to pay a $1.4 billion fine last July to settle a lawsuit over the collection of users' biometric data in the state.
Meta will not be the first such company to move to Texas. In July, Mr Musk announced plans to relocate X's headquarters from San Francisco to Texas. In December 2020, Oracle also announced the relocation of its headquarters from Redwood City, California, to Austin, Texas.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Walls
Louis Tomlinson
3 out of 5 stars
(Syco Music/Arista Records)
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Fast%20X
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Louis%20Leterrier%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Vin%20Diesel%2C%20Michelle%20Rodriguez%2C%20Jason%20Statham%2C%20Tyrese%20Gibson%2C%20Ludacris%2C%20Jason%20Momoa%2C%20John%20Cena%2C%20Jordana%20Brewster%2C%20Nathalie%20Emmanuel%2C%20Sung%20Kang%2C%20Brie%20Larson%2C%20Helen%20Mirren%20and%20Charlize%20Theron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Sukuk explained
Sukuk are Sharia-compliant financial certificates issued by governments, corporates and other entities. While as an asset class they resemble conventional bonds, there are some significant differences. As interest is prohibited under Sharia, sukuk must contain an underlying transaction, for example a leaseback agreement, and the income that is paid to investors is generated by the underlying asset. Investors must also be prepared to share in both the profits and losses of an enterprise. Nevertheless, sukuk are similar to conventional bonds in that they provide regular payments, and are considered less risky than equities. Most investors would not buy sukuk directly due to high minimum subscriptions, but invest via funds.
The years Ramadan fell in May
FIGHT%20CARD
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
HER%20FIRST%20PALESTINIAN
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Wayne Rooney's career
Everton (2002-2004)
- Appearances: 48
- Goals: 17
Manchester United (2004-2017)
- Appearances: 496
- Goals: 253
England (2003-)
- Appearances: 119
- Goals: 53
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Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
Key findings
- Over a period of seven years, a team of scientists analysed dietary data from 50,000 North American adults.
- Eating one or two meals a day was associated with a relative decrease in BMI, compared with three meals. Snacks count as a meal. Likewise, participants who ate more than three meals a day experienced an increase in BMI: the more meals a day, the greater the increase.
- People who ate breakfast experienced a relative decrease in their BMI compared with “breakfast-skippers”.
- Those who turned the eating day on its head to make breakfast the biggest meal of the day, did even better.
- But scrapping dinner altogether gave the best results. The study found that the BMI of subjects who had a long overnight fast (of 18 hours or more) decreased when compared even with those who had a medium overnight fast, of between 12 and 17 hours.
Credits
Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
Star rating: 2.5/5
The five pillars of Islam
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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Rankings
ATP: 1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 10,955 pts; 2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 8,320; 3. Alexander Zverev (GER) 6,475 ( 1); 5. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) 5,060 ( 1); 6. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 4,845 ( 1); 6. Roger Federer (SUI) 4,600 (-3); 7. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,110 ( 2); 8. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 3,960; 9. John Isner (USA) 3,155 ( 1); 10. Marin Cilic (CRO) 3,140 (-3)
WTA: 1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 7,030 pts ( 3); 2. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 6,290 ( 4); 3. Simona Halep (ROM) 5,582 (-2); 4. Sloane Stephens (USA) 5,307 ( 1); 5. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5,100 ( 3); 6. Angelique Kerber (GER) 4,965 (-4); 7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,940; 8. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,430 ( 1); 9. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 3,566 (-6); 10. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,485 ( 1)
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
