Australia Voices Alarm Over Meta's Discontinuation of U.S. Fact-Checking

Australia has expressed significant concern regarding Meta's recent announcement to discontinue its fact-checking operations on Facebook and Instagram in the United States. A senior government official articulated these worries, emphasizing the potential rise in misinformation across social media platforms.

Jim Chalmers, the Australian Treasurer, highlighted the dangers associated with misinformation and disinformation, noting that such content has proliferated in recent years. He remarked on national broadcaster ABC that misinformation poses substantial risks to democracy and can adversely affect individuals' mental health by exposing them to incorrect information.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, revealed on Tuesday that the company plans to eliminate fact-checkers and transition to community-based posts, starting with the United States. Chalmers described this shift as alarming, reiterating the Australian government's commitment to supporting reliable news sources, such as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the national newswire AAP.

Chalmers pointed out that the issue of disinformation has increasingly permeated media, particularly on social platforms. The Australian government has previously clashed with social media giants over their handling of false information. Recently, the country enacted new regulations prohibiting individuals under the age of 16 from registering on social media platforms, with potential penalties of up to AUD 50 million (approximately USD 32.5 million) for systemic violations.

Despite legislative efforts, the government had to abandon proposals to impose fines on social media companies for failing to control misinformation due to a lack of parliamentary support.

Currently, AFP collaborates with Facebook's fact-checking program in 26 languages, with Meta funding fact-checks from around 80 organizations globally across its platforms, including WhatsApp and Instagram.

In Australia, the fact-checking initiative AAP FactCheck confirmed that its partnership with Meta remains unaffected by the company's U.S. decision. AAP's chief executive emphasized the critical role independent fact-checkers play in safeguarding against the spread of harmful misinformation, which can undermine democratic discussions and manipulate public sentiment.