Mark Zuckerberg’s Shock Decision to Scrap Fact-Checking on Facebook and Instagram Sparks Outrage
Mark Zuckerberg’s surprise announcement to end fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram has sparked widespread concern and anger, including among top executives within the company. Michael McConnell, co-chair of Meta’s Oversight Board, described the move as “buckling to political pressure”, citing the current administration’s influence.
McConnell, an international expert in law, human rights, and journalism, expressed concern that the decision was made without consulting the board or even informing members in advance. In contrast, sources have revealed that Meta executives informed Trump officials about the policy shift before making the announcement publicly.
The fact-checking program, aimed at tackling disinformation across Meta’s platforms, will be discontinued due to what Zuckerberg considers a “cultural turning point” since the 2024 election. Instead, the company will rely on users to correct inaccurate information, much like the feature “Community Notes” on social media platform X.
While Zuckerberg acknowledged the new program may “catch less bad stuff”, he argued it would also reduce the number of innocent posts and accounts taken down due to false information. However, McConnell remains unconvinced, stating, “I’m not, you know, overly confident that this is going to be the solution. There is really no magic bullet to this problem.”
Moreover, McConnell criticized the optics of the strategy, calling it “bad”. The move comes as a surprise, as Zuckerberg has been increasing his ties to the Trump administration. The Meta chief has since dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, donated $1 million to the presidential inauguration, and announced the appointment of Dana White, a close ally of Trump, to the Meta board.
