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Newscast

Do Facts Meta on Facebook?

Jan 7, 2025
Vivian Schiller, a former head of news at Twitter, joins Alison Holt, the BBC’s social affairs editor, and Tom Symonds, a BBC political correspondent, to discuss Meta's controversial decision to end independent fact-checking on its platforms. They debate the implications of replacing fact-checkers with community notes and the challenge of balancing free speech with misinformation. The conversation also delves into lessons learned from past inquiries into child sexual abuse, emphasizing the importance of urgent action and awareness to protect vulnerable individuals.
33:29

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Meta's decision to replace independent fact-checkers with community notes raises concerns about misinformation reliability on social media platforms.
  • Mark Zuckerberg's emphasis on increased free speech and contentious discussions reflects a strategic shift in content moderation amid changing political dynamics.

Deep dives

Top Social Media Platforms

The episode begins with a quiz to identify the five largest social media platforms, highlighting that Facebook leads with over 3 billion active users, followed by YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok. This engaging introduction sets the stage for a deeper discussion about the ongoing changes within Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The conversation pivots towards a significant announcement made by Mark Zuckerberg about shifting strategies regarding misinformation and free speech on these platforms. The mention of these platforms serves to underline their critical role in the social media landscape while foreshadowing the impact of Zuckerberg's new policies.

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