
Fact-Checkers at Facebook Told To Avoid Fact-Checking Trump
(ConservativeSense.com) – Former President Donald Trump made a long-awaited, much-anticipated announcement on Tuesday, November 15, officially notifying the Republican party and American voters of his intention to run for president in 2024. Ahead of the former president’s disclosure, Meta reminded Facebook staffers they could no longer fact-check the politician once he announced his candidacy.
On Tuesday afternoon, Meta, the parent corporation of Facebook and Instagram, issued a memo to fact-checkers reiterating a standing policy that says, in part, “political speech is ineligible for fact-checking,” according to a copy of the memo obtained by CNN. Now that Trump has officially declared himself a candidate, Meta has told its staff it may no longer fact-check statements made by him or repeated by others on the platform.
Facebook will not fact check comments made by former President Donald Trump now that he officially has announced a campaign for president in 2024, it was reported. https://t.co/nDGOB7MAhx pic.twitter.com/VPApnb3X1B
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) November 16, 2022
Meta suspended the former president’s accounts on Facebook and Instagram following the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The corporation’s oversight board recommended a two-year suspension, which will end in January 2023. After Twitter also ousted him, the ex-commander-in-chief formed Truth Social, his proprietary social media platform.
Meta representatives pointed out how their policy is not exclusive to the former president but applies to all politicians. Nick Clegg, a Meta executive, told attendees at a September 2019 speech, “It is not our role to intervene when politicians speak,” as he explained the company’s policies regarding moderation, especially concerning politicians.
Meta’s refocused attention to this policy could be a win for voters by allowing candidates to freely discuss their agendas without fear of platform moderation or suspension. Instead, it will fall to individuals to assess candidates and their policies.
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