Fact checkers defanged

It’s an appropriate role for us to referee political debates and prevent a politician’s speech from reaching its audience and being subject to public debate and scrutiny.

Detractors of President Rodrigo Duterte suffered a major blow after Facebook announced yesterday it will not fact-check the statements politicians post to the site, including speeches, as the social media giant said it is not into refereeing political debates.

While the social network relies on third-party fact-checkers, including news organizations such as Agence France Presse in the case of the Philippines, to help it discredit viral misinformation, it will stop short of wading into the veracity of political claims.

The move was considered intended primarily in anticipation of a heated political exchange ahead of the US 2020 elections, even as it works to discredit false information meant to manipulate public opinion.

“We don’t believe… that it’s an appropriate role for us to referee political debates and prevent a politician’s speech from reaching its audience and being subject to public debate and scrutiny,” Nick Clegg, Facebook vice president of global affairs and communications, said.

Malacañang had earlier opposed Facebook’s fact-checking partnership with Rappler and Vera Files, which are groups whose “stand on the political spectrum are known.”

With both Rappler and Vera Files as fact checkers, accounts of several supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte were purged by Facebook. The account owners then shifted to Russian-based social media platform VKontakte (VK) after the Facebook move.

Since the partnership was announced, Facebook has started blocking websites that have supposedly been publishing fake news articles in defense of Mr. Duterte from his critics.

Among the accounts deleted was that of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp executive Jimmy Bondoc. He threatened to start a nationwide petition to delete Facebook and move to another social media website. Bondoc’s post has been deleted but screenshots were shared online.

“I will personally commence a nationwide petition to delete Facebook. I also assure you that I will be supported strongly,” according to Bondoc.

The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) lauded Facebook’s fact-checking initiative but protested the choice of fact-checkers, referring to Rappler and Vera Files.

PCOO and Facebook have been continuously discussing the responsible use of social media, according to the Palace.

Facebook said it will not send “organic content or ads from politicians to third-party fact-checking partners for review.”

Worries have run high ahead of the November 2020 polls following revelations of a wide-ranging misinformation campaign on Facebook and other social platforms, largely directed by Russian operatives, in the 2016 elections.

Overwhelmed by such disinformation, Facebook has set up partnerships with media outlets to verify articles and posts found to be of a dubious nature, with journalists’ contributions appearing below problematic content, which are labeled as doubtful.

Exclusion of politicians’ discourse has been part of Facebook’s policy for over a year, Clegg said.

“However, when a politician shares previously debunked content including links, videos and photos, we plan to demote that content, display related information from fact-checkers, and reject its inclusion in advertisements,” he said.

Clegg, a former British deputy prime minister, joined Facebook less than a year ago to help fix its scandal-plagued image following Russian social media campaigns during elections.

Facebook meanwhile walks a fine line in its attempt to balance freedom of expression with regulation of inappropriate content.

Its chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has taken steps to increase transparency, especially when it comes to political advertising.

The social network has come under fire from critics, particularly Democrats, who believe that tech giants have become too powerful. Meanwhile Republicans, including US President Donald Trump, regularly accuse the social network of censoring conservative voices.