Some media outlets and fact-checking organizations have likened fact-checkers to first responders battling a “wildfire” of conspiracy theories as fires rage across Los Angeles County.
On Monday, CNN published a report about it Meta is eliminating its third-party fact-checking system where it criticized the decision in light of “misinformation” about the bushfires themselves.
The article, titled “Meta’s fact-checkers will soon be out of a job and battling a wave of conspiracy theories,” quoted a journalist who compared fact-checkers to fire departments.
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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced last week that the social media company would discontinue its fact-checking system. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
“Rumors and speculation about the disaster began swirling like embers online before eventually becoming a wild outburst of massive conspiracy theories,” the article said.
Former CNN journalist Alan Duke, who co-founded a Meta-funded fact-checking outlet, added: “Removing fact-checkers from social platforms is like disbanding your fire department.”
Other sites used similar language, comparing fact-checkers to firefighters battling wildfires as news of the Los Angeles fires continued to develop.
Hours before the wildfires broke out on January 7, Chris Morris, CEO of Full Factwhose company was associated with Facebook, used the term “first responders” to describe fact-checkers while expressing his disappointment.
Some fact-checkers and media commentators compared conspiracy theories to “forest fires” and fact-checkers to “first responders.” (Jae C. Hong/AP)
“From securing elections to protecting public health to allaying potential unrest on the streets, fact-checkers are the first responders to the information environment,” the statement said. “Our specialists are trained to work in a way that promotes credible evidence and prioritizes tackling damaging information. We believe the public has a right to access our expertise.”
On Sunday, a Forbes report compared the growth of conspiracy theories to “wildfire” when Meta’s decision was dismissed as an “ominous sign.”
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“It’s not just a corporate decision – it’s part of a societal crisis,” the Forbes article said. “At a time when conspiracy theories are spreading like wildfire and trust in institutions is at an all-time low, one of the most powerful companies in the world is abdicating its responsibility to combat disinformation.”
A former CNN journalist claimed that eliminating fact-checkers was like disbanding a fire department. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
In a video posted to Facebook on January 7, Meta CEO said Mark Zuckerberg admitted it The company’s content moderation practices had “gone too far” since its founding in 2016.
“We’re going back to our roots and focusing on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies and restoring free speech on our platforms,” Zuckerberg said. “More specifically, we will be abolishing fact-checkers and replacing them with Community Notes similar to X, starting in the US”
Although Zuckerberg explained his decision as a way to promote “free speech” online, many liberal commentators criticized the idea of getting rid of fact-checkers as “incredibly dangerous.”
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