Global Fact-Checking Network Rejects Zuckerberg's Claim About Increased Censorship

The global fact-checking network rejected the recent claim by the owner of Facebook and Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg, that fact-checking on these social media platforms has led to increased censorship. The international network of organizations responsible for media fact-checking stated in a statement on Friday, January 21, that Zuckerberg's claim, which suggested that fact-checking has fueled more censorship and less freedom of expression, is 'incorrect' and false. Among these organizations are news agencies like AFP and Reuters. Currently, AFP assists with fact-checking on Facebook in 26 languages. Zuckerberg announced on Tuesday that Meta would dissolve the fact-checking section across all its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, and would promote political content more. He added, 'The fact-checking section has acted very biased politically and has harmed user trust instead of building it.' According to Zuckerberg, there has been 'significant error and excessive censorship' in the fact-checking program on Meta's social media networks. In response, the global fact-checking network stated in its announcement: 'This claim is false, and our intention here is to correct this error both in the context of today's situation and for historical record.' Meta's decision to dissolve the fact-checking sections on Facebook and Instagram will currently only be implemented in the United States, but the global network has warned that ending the activities of this global network, which covers over a hundred countries, could have potentially very damaging effects. Meta has employed 80 organizations worldwide for fact-checking on its three platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The statement noted that some of these hundred countries are highly vulnerable to misinformation and false information, which 'can lead to political instability, election interference, increased violence, and even genocide.' Mark Zuckerberg has promised that after Donald Trump's return to the White House, freedom of expression will be 'prioritized,' and on Meta's platforms, such as the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), 'the fact-checking section will be replaced by user comments.' Since Elon Musk's acquisition of X, the fact-checking section of this social media platform has been removed, and the task of verifying the accuracy of the content published by users has effectively been left to the opinions and recommendations of other users [community notes].