Meta Drops Fact-Checking on Instagram, Facebook
Ask students: What is Meta, and what are some of the social media companies it owns? Who has been providing fact-checking for Meta platforms up to this announcement?
Meta announced it's ending third-party fact-checking on its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, calling the decision a return to a “fundamental commitment to free expression.”
CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the rules had become too restrictive and prone to over-enforcement. Geoff Bennett discussed the implications of this shift with Renee DiResta of the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University.
View the transcript of the story.
Key Terms
community notes — option that allows social media users to submit fact-checks to posts that are misleading or missing key information. Note: You may want to read Poynter Institute's Why Community Notes mostly fails to combat misinformation.
jawboning — use of persuasive or implicit threats made in public to influence political outcomes rather than making a direct action through legislation. Read this article by Knight First Amendment Institute to learn more.
Discussion Questions
- What is Meta, and what are some of the social media companies it owns?
- Who has been providing fact-checking for Meta platforms up to this announcement?
- Why does Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg say they are ending formal fact-checking on Meta-owned sites?
- How will Meta platforms change their policies about misinformation and hate speech going forward?
- Where else are community notes used instead of dedicated fact checkers?
Focus Questions
- Do you think fact-checking conflicts with the principles of free speech? Why or why not?
- President-elect Donald Trump said he believes Zuckerberg is responding to past threats that he's made towards Zuckerberg, also known as "jawboning," according to guest Renee DiResta.
- Do you see Zuckerberg's actions as capitulating (giving in) to Trump? Explain.
- What would you do if you were the head of a company and faced with similar political pressures?
- Media literacy: After watching this segment, what are some pros and cons of using dedicated fact-checkers for social media companies? What are some pros and cons of using community notes?
Extension Activity
Have you ever fallen for misinformation or disinformation on social media? Have you ever passed along a story or image that you later realized was false, or even generated by AI? If so, how would you fact-check the material in retrospect?
As individuals or in groups, find one example of false information on social media. Then work together to write a short "community note," fact-checking or explaining why the material is false or misleading.
You can also check out this video from MediaWise's Teen Fact-Checking Network on how to make a fact-checking video — if there is time, make one as a class!
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
Addressing Threats to Democracy
Using the challenges to democracy in recent years as a teachable moment, we created resources to help students reflect on threats to democratic principles and explore topics such as media literacy, civil discourse, voter suppression, and misinformation.
PBS NewsHour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of NewsHour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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