EU Lawmakers Alarmed by Meta’s Fact-Checker Removal
Recent policy shifts at Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, have drawn significant criticism from lawmakers in the UK and the European Union. The decision to eliminate fact-checkers in the US has sparked concern, with critics labeling it as a potentially dangerous move. This change allows derogatory content related to gender and sexual orientation, raising alarms among legislators and digital rights advocates. Chi Onwurah, a UK Labour MP, expressed apprehension over Meta’s reliance on user-policed content accuracy, comparing it unfavorably to the misinformation-prone platform X.
Meta’s approach, inspired by Elon Musk’s X, involves a “community notes” system where users monitor each other’s posts. This has raised fears of increased misinformation on sensitive topics such as elections, health, and global conflicts, affecting Meta’s extensive user base worldwide. Nobel laureate Maria Ressa has warned of the dangers this poses to journalism and democracy. The policy shift, seemingly in response to the Trump administration, may challenge existing digital regulation laws such as the Online Safety Act, potentially impacting trade negotiations between the US and UK.
The European Commission has firmly rebutted claims of censorship linked to Europe’s Digital Services Act, which regulates online content. Despite Zuckerberg’s assurances that these changes are currently US-specific, concerns linger about their potential expansion to Europe, where regulatory scrutiny would be intense. Arnav Joshi, a senior technology lawyer, emphasized the need for evidence of the effectiveness of automated systems over human fact-checkers, a challenge that has proven difficult in the past.
Child safety advocates, including the NSPCC, have voiced concerns over the potential risks to young users, particularly regarding harmful content. Meta maintains that high-severity violations, such as content related to suicide and eating disorders, will continue to be monitored by automated systems. However, the removal of fact-checkers and changes in content policies have raised questions about the company’s commitment to protecting vulnerable users, particularly children, from online harm.
Source: Meta’s changes to policing will lead to clash with EU and UK, say experts
