Meta oversight board flags concerns over axing fact-checkers
The co-chair of Meta's oversight board, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, has expressed "serious concerns" about the potential fallout from Meta's decision to discontinue third-party fact-checkers on Facebook and Instagram. She fears the move could negatively impact minority groups, including LGBTQ+ communities and those advocating for gender and trans rights.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today program, Thorning-Schmidt warned of "huge problems" stemming from the change, particularly with hate speech that can lead to real-world harm. While she welcomed Meta's plans to introduce user-driven "community notes," similar to X (formerly Twitter), she stressed the need for vigilance:
"We are seeing many instances where hate speech can lead to real-life harm, so we will be watching that space very carefully."
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the change in a blog post and accompanying video on Tuesday, framing the decision as a return to the company’s roots in "free expression." He criticized the existing fact-checking system as being "too politically biased" and claimed it led to undue censorship of users.
However, Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa countered that the move undermines democracy and public safety, calling it a profit-driven strategy.
"The suggestion that this promotes free speech is completely wrong... There are extremely dangerous times ahead," she told AFP.
The timing of Meta's decision has raised questions about its motives. Some speculate it could be an attempt to align with the incoming Trump administration or rival Elon Musk's influence as the owner of X.
Tech journalist Kara Swisher called the decision "the most cynical move" by Zuckerberg, accusing him of self-serving motives:
"Facebook does whatever is in its self-interest. He wants to kiss up to Donald Trump and catch up with Elon Musk in that act."
Former Meta executive Sir Nick Clegg, who played a key role in establishing the oversight board, announced his departure from the company just days before the fact-checking policy change.
Free speech advocacy group FIRE welcomed the changes, stating: "Meta's announcement shows the marketplace of ideas in action. These changes will hopefully result in less arbitrary moderation decisions and freer speech on Meta's platforms."
In contrast, hate speech campaigners criticised the move, warning it could lead to unchecked misinformation and harm to marginalised groups.
Zuckerberg acknowledged the risks of this strategy, admitting it could lead to more harmful content slipping through while reducing mistaken takedowns of users' posts.
Experts, however, warned that the shift could impact Meta’s advertising revenue. Jasmine Enberg, an analyst at Insider Intelligence, noted: "Brand safety remains a key factor in determining where advertisers spend their budgets. Any major drop in engagement could hurt Meta’s ad business, given the intense competition for users and ad dollars."
The announcement drew praise from President-elect Donald Trump, who commended Zuckerberg’s decision, saying, “Meta has come a long way.” When asked if Zuckerberg's move was a response to Trump’s past criticisms, Trump remarked, “Probably.”
As Meta moves forward with this controversial shift, the company faces scrutiny over whether it can balance free expression with the safety and trust of its users.
Sources: BBC
