The world’s online spaces are in need of strong interventions in order to tackle the explosion of mis- and disinformation we have seen.
We are therefore disappointed to learn of Meta’s decision to withdraw factcheckers as a tool to combat mis- and disinformation from its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, and replace them with unproven methods.
But this is the predictable result of platforms doing the bare minimum for years to reduce harm on their services, and with new regulations in the UK and EU failing to effectively address the issue of misinformation, self-regulatory standards were always likely to take a nosedive.
The issue of online mis- and disinformation, however, remains an urgent blight on society and one that has serious real-world impacts on individuals and communities.
More needs to be done to tackle it and Impress remains open and willing to work with anyone who shares this vision.
On the decision, Impress Chair Richard Ayre said:
“Decades ago American journalism pioneered factcheckers to aim for accuracy in news.
“Today, any online platform that regards the search for truth as “mission creep” is choosing to be complicit in misleading and misdirecting the public.”
What have Meta done?
In a statement delivered on Tuesday, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg revealed that they would be getting rid of factcheckers across the company and “reduce the amount of censorship on the platform.”
Zuckerberg said that factcheckers would be replaced by a community notes system, similar to that of rival social media giant X. Meta platforms will also start to promote more political content.
He said in his statement that Meta’s “factcheckers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created”.
Want to work with Impress?
We have been consistently vocal about the need to tackle mis- and disinformation, and remain open to working with a wide range of stakeholders to make that a reality.
In the wake of the Southport Riots, which were sparked by an online explosion of misinformation, we called for collaboration between media groups, communities and politicians to help ensure the issue is tackled.
Our recent podcast series Dis/Mis delved deeper into the problems we face with a host of expert guests.
If you would be interested in working with Impress to combat misinformation and disinformation, please contact louie@impressorg.com.
About Impress
Impress is a champion for news that can be trusted. We are here to make sure news providers can publish with integrity; and the public can engage in an ever-changing media landscape with confidence. We set the highest regulatory standards for news, offer education to help people make informed choices and provide resolution when disputes arise.
Media enquiries
Louie Chandler: louie@impressorg.com / 02033076778
