Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, announced the end of fact-checking in the United States. The executive also announced that the program will be replaced by the "community notes" verification system, the same used by X (formerly Twitter).
For Marcelo Crespo, professor and coordinator of the Law course at ESPM, this substitution has far-reaching political and legal implications, inclusive in Brazil. "In the previous system, the fact-checking was carried out by independent third parties and had a technical and unbiased focus. By starting to rely on a "community rating" system to evaluate content, one can open a wide path for organized manipulation by groups with biased viewpoints. In a strongly divided society, like Brazil, the subjectivity of the participants will result in a much more favorable opinion towards the shared and misleading content and much less towards the discussion.”
The professor emphasizes that, although the new approach seems innovative, she does not dismiss the methods that can be applied technically to effectively tackle misinformation. "In Brazil", this change tends to reinforce the debate about the responsibility of the companies involved, making Meta even more dependent on responsible moderation. Furthermore, the system will need to be launched transparently and in compliance with national regulations. This change can have a significant negative impact, both politically and legally.”
Bruno Peres, digital marketing professor at ESPM, it points out that the decision proposes a different approach to content moderation with the idea of promoting greater freedom of expression, but without the confirmation of being an effective system. "There are no tests", studies or more detailed explanations that prove the fact, so this raises a number of concerns about the effectiveness of this new format for combating misinformation.Peres also emphasizes that the movement may have political connections and that the lack of clarity in the change raises concerns for the new format.
Meta's decision may impact user trust, according to Rafael Terra, digital marketing professor at ESPM. The professor emphasizes that the change may intensify polarization on social media, making it even more crucial for companies and individuals to act ethically to maintain public trust. "Although the change promotes greater participation, it can raise concerns about credibility and misinformation control. It is a model that requires digital maturity from users to avoid manipulations and biases.The professor emphasizes that it is necessary to educate the community so that this system works properly. Furthermore, it is important to stay alert, because the removal of professional fact-checkers can lead to the amplification of false news and harmful information. "This is especially dangerous in political or sensitive contexts".”
Meta fact-checking change raises concerns for new format
