 "Brazil orders Meta to explain changes to fact-checking program in 72 hours")
Brazil has given Meta 72 hours to clarify recent changes to its fact-checking programme. The Solicitor General, Jorge Messias, announced the ultimatum on Friday, raising concerns after Meta scrapped its US fact-checking initiative and eased restrictions on discussions about controversial topics like immigration and gender identity. The government’s move reflects unease over how these changes might affect the spread of misinformation in Brazil.
The deadline, set for Monday, leaves questions about what actions the Brazilian government might take if Meta fails to respond adequately. So far, the tech giant has not issued a public comment on the matter.
Meta’s shift away from third-party fact-checkers
Meta’s decision marks a significant shift in its approach to curbing misinformation. CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that the company was moving away from its third-party fact-checking system, introduced in 2016. Instead, Meta plans to adopt a “Community Notes” model, similar to the system used by X (formerly Twitter), starting in the United States.
Zuckerberg justified the change by criticising the bias he says crept into the original programme. “Experts, like everyone else, have their own biases and perspectives. This showed up in the choices some made about what to fact-check and how,” he explained. He added that the third-party system had sometimes interfered with legitimate political discourse, leading to mistakes and accusations of censorship.
The Community Notes programme aims to allow users to collaboratively flag and contextualise potentially misleading posts. Zuckerberg expressed optimism, calling the approach less prone to bias and a better way to provide users with critical information about the content they encounter online.
Concerns from Brazil’s leadership
The announcement has sparked alarm in Brazil, where the government sees Meta’s policy changes as a potential threat to public discourse. Messias described Meta’s approach as inconsistent, comparing it to “an airport windsock” that changes direction based on external pressures.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva weighed in as well, calling the changes “extremely serious.” Lula indicated that the matter required further discussion, highlighting the government’s concern over how Meta’s policy shift could impact Brazilian society.
Messias emphasised that the country would not tolerate being “at the mercy” of such policies, suggesting that Brazil is prepared to take further action if necessary.
A global debate on misinformation
While Meta’s changes are currently limited to the US market, they have reignited global debates about the role of social media platforms in combating misinformation. Critics argue that dismantling the fact-checking programme could lead to an increase in unchecked falsehoods, while proponents believe the shift could restore fairness by avoiding the perceived biases of external fact-checkers.
For now, all eyes are on Meta as it prepares its response to Brazil’s demands. The company’s next move will likely set the tone for its relationship with governments worldwide as it navigates the tricky balance between free speech and misinformation control.