Thursday, 09 January 2025
Thursday, 09 January 2025
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the end of fact-checking programmes on Facebook and Instagram on Tuesday. He said that community driven notes, similar to X’s community notes, will replace the fact checking programmes.
Zuckerberg cited a desire to embrace free speech and simplify policies as key motivations. His decision comes ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s assuming office. Trump had earlier criticised Meta for censoring right wing voices.
Policy decisions aside, social media had a field day reacting to the announcement.
Here’s a collection of some of the most interesting and hilarious responses.
BJP IT cell celebrates
One user quipped: “Mark Zuckerberg has announced that META will no longer fact-check posts on Facebook and Instagram. Meanwhile, BJP IT cell.” The video showed people, somewhere in Pakistan or Afghanistan, dancing with strange moves that would give Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff inferiority complex.
BJP and its IT cell, under the leadership of Amit Malviya, has often been accused by India’s opposition parties of misrepresenting facts, twisting history and propagating fake pictures to create enmity among the people and putting down non-BJP leaders, activists and even journalists.
So, who gains with this latest announcement given India has the highest user of Meta?
Political wins, personal frustrations
A user shared mixed feelings: “Zuccu bhai has decided that Meta will no longer ‘fact-check’ because it was agenda-driven. This might be related to Donaldji returning to power. It’s cowardice, but we’ll take the win. My posts were throttled due to my Hindutva leanings. Will this change now?”
This post equates what many suspect–that Trump’s coming to power may be correlated with Meta’s policy change. But the post follows the same trend of blaming social media for throttling right wing voices.
Accountability takes a hit?
Another user pointed out the potential consequences: “After witnessing Trump get away with all the crimes and lies, Meta ends fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram in free-speech pitch. So go ahead, lie all you want; there’s going to be no accountability.”
Fake news and Donald Trump have a strange relationship. He rattles off fake news at the speed of thought -- like immigrants eating cats and dogs -- and also often declares as fake news what is not.
Trump’s playground
One user posted: “So META is no longer going to fact-check. Trump needs another platform to make sure MAGAs are kept from the truth.”
Earlier, in 2022, Trump launched his Truth Social to fight the social media, which, according to him, was biased and didn’t cater to Make America Great Again (MAGA) believers.
‘Copycat’ Zuckerberg?
Another post read: “Zuck has just announced he ended fact-checking. Are you happy he’s coming over to the ‘light side’?” The meme showed Zuckerberg and Musk, who owns X, shaking hands.
Musk is a firm believer of the theory that mainstream media peddles left liberal ideas and much of it is controlled by billionaire Bill Gates and George Soros. Musk claims social media platforms are more credible.
Here’s what Musk said about Meta’s decision, “copycat.”
Elon wannabe?
Taking cue from Musk’s ‘copycate’ comments, a video had the caption: “Actual footage of Zuckerberg changing Meta censorship rules.”
Another user said: “Zuckerberg is changing Meta from fact-checking to Community Notes! He wants to be Elon Musk.”
Time to read a book?
A user recommended a book. “Facebook has decided to stop fact-checking on their site. Absolutely wonderful! Sarcasm. I recommend reading an excellent book on this problem called Broken Code.”
In Broken Code, award-winning Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz wrote about controversies surrounding the operations of Meta.
Church prayers answered
One user posted: “BREAKING NEWS: Meta to end fact-checking to allow free speech like X does! We prayed, and we won! The Church wins again!”
So, did the Church influence Zuckerberg’s decision? Well, you never know given the Church has always attracted followers and conspiracy theorists alike.
Disinformation disseminators
A cynical user (one may say correct) said: “No place for ‘facts’ when the U.S. just elected as president the largest spreader of disinformation, aided by the second largest.” The accompanying image showed Trump and Musk together.
Is Zuckerberg joining this duo?
