, Columnist
Meta’s Fact-Checking Reversal Lets Zuckerberg Drop the Charade
The company’s decision to abandon fact-checking lets the CEO walk away from a responsibility he never wanted in the first place.
Under the guise of free speech, Meta's CEO doesn't have to worry about whether any of it is true.
Photographer: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
This article is for subscribers only.
Mark Zuckerberg’s video announcement on Tuesday that the company would abandon its fact-checking efforts and loosen moderation marks a stunning reversal of years of promises regarding safety and misinformation.
As I watched it, I wondered whether Meta Platforms Inc.’s PR team held off until Tuesday because posting it on Monday — the anniversary of the Capitol insurrection — would have been too on the nose.