The Secretary of Digital Policies of the Lula government (PT), João Brant, expressed opposition to Meta’s decision to end fact-checking on their platforms. The new system will involve a community note system similar to X (formerly Twitter).
The CEO of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, plans to roll out the change first in the United States before expanding it to other countries. This decision has been seen by Brant as a potential threat to the authenticity of social networks.
The secretary on LinkedIn stated that it indicates a call for extreme right-wing activism to strengthen the utilization of these platforms for their political activities. Zuckerberg mentioned that Facebook and Instagram will transform into platforms that prioritize individual freedom of expression over safeguarding other individual and collective rights.
The secretary saw the CEO of Meta’s speech as a subtle reference to the recent legal disputes with Elon Musk.
Brant stated that the statement is forceful, labeling the Supreme Court as a secretive entity, criticizing fact-checkers for damaging trust, and casting doubt on Meta’s trust and safety team’s impartiality. This justifies a decision to relocate the team from California to Texas.
Essential for the political positioning of Meta.
Brant indicated that the action demonstrates alignment with Donald Trump’s upcoming return to the U.S. presidency on January 20. He highlighted that Zuckerberg’s statement suggests a disregard for national sovereignty in regulating the digital space and hints at potential actions by the Trump administration.
Zuckerberg’s stance was bolstered by his recent interaction with Trump. In November 2024, the CEO met with the incoming president and reportedly expressed his desire to contribute to the country’s rejuvenation under Trump’s administration.
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Brant stated that Meta’s choice will cause financial harm to fact-checking organizations, leading to negative impacts on their operations within and outside the platforms.
Zuckerberg’s statements
Zuckerberg made the announcement in a video on Instagram, where he criticized fact-checking organizations for being politically biased and undermining user trust. He mentioned that Meta’s goal is to minimize mistakes, streamline content guidelines, and enhance freedom of expression on platforms.
Since 2016, fact-checking has been conducted on Meta’s content, with fact-checkers identifying posts as false and reducing their visibility, particularly concerning topics like covid-19, elections, and natural disasters.
Donald Trump has consistently expressed disapproval of fact-checking efforts on social media platforms. Following his ban from Twitter, Elon Musk took over the platform and reinstated Trump’s account. In his upcoming role as a member of the Trump administration, Musk is expected to support this viewpoint.