Back in the early 2000s, platforms like Friendster and MySpace helped social media gain widespread popularity and in the blink of an eye, changed the way Americans access and consume the news. But the game-changer was Facebook, launched in 2004, which caused a paradigm shift, propelling social media into the consciousness of the mainstream.
Now, more than two decades later, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that his social media company that owns Facebook and Instagram will stop using third-party fact-checking organizations because of excessive “censorship.”
“The fact-checkers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created, especially in the U.S.,” Zuckerberg said during an announcement on Jan. 7.
But is he, and other media moguls like Elon Musk, the primary owner of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, more concerned with making sure Americans can trust what we see, read and hear on social media or has he simply capitulated to the far right?
Consider that after the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube banned President Trump from their platforms. However, Trump was allowed to return ahead of his second administration. Meanwhile, Zuckerberg’s views on content moderation have clearly changed.
We support the right of every American to choose where they stand politically and recognize that people will sometimes evaluate their choices and move from one political party or candidate for office to another.
However, with Meta’s announcement that fact-checking, like X, will be left to the devices of a community notes model, we are concerned that finding and following trustworthy sources of news online will become much more difficult.
Will neighbors really take the time to check their neighbors for the veracity of their posts? Or will social media devolve into an environment where anyone can say anything at any moment for any reason?
Social media has its pros and cons, maintaining connections and providing education on the plus side, while negatively leading to cognitive overload and causing depression and anxiety. But it’s here to stay, so do your own homework.
Check the source, your emotions, the date and the context. Cross-check information and follow reputable fact-checking accounts on social media.
As Sgt. Joe Friday said on the popular detective TV show “Dragnet” back in the ’60s and ’70s, “Just the facts, ma’am.” Indeed, Americans, when looking to digital sources, deserve the facts.
