Facebook is to scrap its fact-checkers after founder Mark Zuckerberg said they have “been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they have created” as he pledged to “restore free expression” on the social network. The Telegraph has more.
Mr. Zuckerberg on Tuesday promised that parent company Meta would “get rid of fact-checkers” and replace them with a system of “community notes, similar to X”, echoing the approach of rival billionaire Elon Musk.
It follows the exit of Sir Nick Clegg, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat leader, as the tech giant’s head of global affairs, a role in which he led a crackdown on hate speech.
Sir Nick has been replaced by the former Republican Party operator Joel Kaplan, who will lead Facebook’s public policy operations.
In a further sign of the company’s shift towards the Right, Mr. Zuckerberg this week appointed longstanding Donald Trump ally Dana White, the Chief Executive of Ultimate Fighting Championship, as a board member.
Mr. Zuckerberg said: “Fact-checkers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they have created.”
He added that Facebook would “get rid of a bunch of restrictions” on topics including gender and immigration amid a wider corporate backlash against diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Mr. Zuckerberg said: “What started as a movement to be more inclusive has increasingly been used to shut down opinions.”
The Facebook founder said the technology company had gone too far in tackling “disinformation” in the wake of Mr. Trump’s election victory in 2016, amid fears over Russian meddling and fake news, adding that “we’ve reached a point where it’s just too many mistakes and too much censorship”.
He has previously accused Joe Biden’s White House of pressuring Facebook to censor content around coronavirus, saying: “I regret we were not more outspoken about it.”
The decision to ditch some of Facebook’s core moderation policies comes after the departure of Sir Nick, previously one of Mr. Zuckerberg’s key lieutenants who was closely involved in the decision to suspend Mr. Trump from Facebook in 2021. …
In a statement, the Oversight Board said: “The Oversight Board welcomes the news that Meta will revise its approach to fact-checking, with the goal of finding a scalable solution to enhance trust, free speech and user voice on its platforms.”
Mr. Zuckerberg added that Facebook planned to “work with President Trump to push back on governments around the world that are going after American companies and pushing to censor more”.
It comes as Britain prepares to implement the Online Safety Act, starting in March.
Good riddance to the fatuous checkers, their reign was brief but inglorious. And what will poor Leo Benedictus do now? It’s hard to hold back the tears.
Does this mean we’ll be allowed to talk freely about facemasks, lockdowns and Covid vaccines as well? Let’s hope so.
Worth reading in full.
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He should be hung drawn and quartered. No way should he be allowed to have a dignified exit
There’s a “bloody” good pub named after your recommendation, not far from The Tower.
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A dignified exit is the last thing he should be given. There were murmurs in today’s press that what he has done could attract the same level of criticism as Cummings trip to Barnard Castle. Cummings Barnard Castle jaunt pales into complete INSIGNIFICANCE by comparison. This picture was taken, and Hancock was acting in this way, before the British public was officially ‘given permission’ to hug people, and I am sure you will remember that when they were so permitted, sanctimonious guidance was issued advising people to ‘hug with caution’ and ‘how to hug safely’ (no kissing was to be involved) which frankly beggared belief.
But at least one MP has found his backbone and we are now using the right word – “exit”. Mind you, any re-shuffle will be nothing more than the equivalent of the rearranging of the deckchairs on the titanic.
New slogan has been coined : “HANDS. FACE. BACK TO MY PLACE”
[I can’t take any credit for that – it was the best joke of the night on last night’s edition of channel 4’s “The Last Leg”]
“A dignified exit is the last thing he should be given”
Yes – but we’re nowhere near the land of ‘should’ and ethics.
There are plenty of them who should suffer the same fate. Add them here please.
““The Secretary of State …. has said everything he needs to say.”
So have we. To re-iterate :
“F. off you stupid, lying, self-seeking, incompetent, narcissistic sociopaths and psychopaths. We’ve never taken any notice of you, and you confirm every day that we’ve been 100% right.”
“Dignified Exit” A little late, lol!
Not after one has been caught fondling a bottom!
Imagine Gove in charge of Health. We will be more doomed than we are already.
“Imagine Gove in charge of Health.”
I can!!! I can!!!
I saw ‘it’ in Education.
(Heaves into the WPB)
Interesting to ponder whether Johnson/Whitty/Vallance/Ferguson behavioural dysfunction, dishonesty and amorality have rubbed off on Hancock, or vice versa. Thinking longer, they are just sh*ts tarred with the same dirty brush.
The problem here is that nobody capable in the Tory party, at least, anyone with a fig of ability, honesty or decency, would want to jump into this steaming pile of ordure. That leaves just the Johnson Hosanna Chorus, led by the conductor Gove, or some brown-nosing backbencher with no talent other than that.
“ they are just sh*ts tarred with the same dirty brush.”
Be more concise :
“they are just sh*ts “
Just put the CFO’s of Moderna, AstraZeneca and Pfizer as the Secretaries of UK Health
At least then will we
know they have made enough moneyit’s safe to have our personal freedoms back.We’re living in a technocracy run by deluded communists anyway.
A technotyranny.
We’re better off with Hancock staying in post. We don’t want someone more efficient and honest imposing lockdowns. Better an obvious clown/liar than one who hides it better. There’s very little in this for us.
Yes I wanted him to be tried for his crimes against humanity. I know there is still time for that, but this is not worth the attention it is getting. We know he is evil we shouldn’t be getting distracted from his real evils. A smoke screen. The MSM are focusing on him in the march yesterday and therefore detracting from what the march was about. Not impressed with this sites reporting of yesterday’s march.
Lest we forget the initial mainstream reactions to this story. It’s almost as if they’re written by algorithms – downplay, find excuses, hide facts, nothing-to-see-here.
Sadly when he does go he will continue elsewhere and another corrupt cronie will come in and continue the job of brainwashing the nation and destroying the economy, businesses and society.
Im sure the Globalists have many “leaders” groomed and ready.
We should all follow his excellent example and stick two fingers up to the rules.
ncocks best mate and a zealot jumping from frying pan to the fire
You can be dignified on a scaffold.
But he wouldn’t be.
Lamppost is too good for him.
I’d bet on a promotion instead.
After all, Raab is equally incompetent, useless and dangerous.
Like moving the deckchairs while the whole bloody country is sinking.
In what imaginary universe has Matt Hancockwomble ever been dignified?
Hancockwomble needs fired into the Thames from a trebuchet.
Johnson should choose the new Health Minister out of the 64 MP’s who voted against the government, we need some balance now.
Johnson is a puppet. He’ll do what he’s told.
meet the new boss.. same as the ..
https://www.wef.org.in/sajid-javid/
Sounds like mr zahawi needs to step down as well if he is convinced Matt did nothing wrong.
Out of date now – Hancock has resigned!