Meta's Moderation Shift: A Gateway to Climate Misinformation?

Meta, Facebook's parent company, plans to end its agreements with US-based fact-checkers by 2025, potentially escalating climate misinformation on its platforms. Amidst growing regulatory pressure in regions like the EU, Meta's changes could allow false claims to spread more easily during climate-related crises.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is planning to end its fact-checking program by March 2025, a move that might open social media platforms to increased misinformation about climate change. This decision has raised concerns about the potential flood of misleading content during climate-driven disasters.

Meta had previously launched the Climate Science Information Centre to counteract misinformation, working with third-party fact-checkers to flag false posts. As agreements end, the company's algorithms may find it challenging to control viral misinformation, leaving users vulnerable to fake news and disinformation.

Amidst these changes, platforms like X have replaced established moderation tools with user-generated content tags. Despite public demand for false content moderation, tech companies appear to be shifting the responsibility to individual users, possibly worsening confusion during critical moments.

(With inputs from agencies.)