Mark Zuckerberg has announced that Facebook will be scrapping its professional fact-checking teams and replacing them with a crowdsourced “community notes” system. The move comes as part of a broader shift towards more relaxed content moderation policies, which critics say are motivated by a desire to please the incoming Trump administration.
Zuckerberg’s decision has been met with skepticism from some experts, who argue that fact-checking is essential for maintaining the integrity of social media platforms. However, others see this move as a step in the right direction towards promoting free expression and challenging government censorship.
The change comes after Zuckerberg said he would “work with President Trump to push back on governments around the world” and that Facebook will be scrapping its fact-checking teams. This decision has raised concerns about the potential for increased misinformation and disinformation on the platform.
Critics, including some of Zuckerberg’s own critics, say his motives are more about optics and pleasing the incoming Trump administration than about promoting free expression or challenging censorship. They argue that this move is an example of “spinelessness and opportunism” from a company leader who has a history of caving in to government demands.
While some see this move as a positive step towards greater freedom of expression, others are concerned about the potential consequences for the integrity of social media platforms.
Source: https://www.ft.com/content/682ca921-ccfd-445e-b486-94f4b8542b12