What Next | Daily News and Analysis TBD | What Happened After Meta Fired Its Fact-Checkers
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Aug 8, 2025 Jeffrey Fowler, tech columnist with The Washington Post, dives into the fallout after Meta replaced professional fact-checkers with user-generated content. He shares his personal experiences tackling misinformation as a volunteer in Meta's Community Notes. The conversation highlights the challenges of correcting false narratives and the implications of shifting to community-driven fact-checking, especially in a polarized landscape. Fowler critiques the effectiveness of these new initiatives and reveals the ongoing struggle for accurate information in the digital age.
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Trump Fell-Asleep Meme Went Unchecked
- Jeffrey Fowler saw a viral meme claiming Donald Trump fell asleep during Pope Francis's funeral and decided to correct it.
- He used Meta's Community Notes but the posts remained unflagged and the correction did not appear.
Sixty-Five Community Note Attempts
- Jeffrey Fowler attempted roughly 65 Community Notes over several months while volunteering for Meta.
- For April through June none published, and only three published in July, leaving his effective publish rate under 5%.
Zuckerberg Ended Pro Fact‑Checking Quickly
- Mark Zuckerberg ended professional fact-checking in the U.S., citing bias and free-speech concerns.
- Observers interpreted the move as politically expedient and possibly aimed at appeasing Donald Trump.