At least one Australian news outlet that has worked as one of Meta’s fact-checking partners will continue to provide fact-checks for the tech giant for at least another year, despite the tech company’s announcement that it is sunsetting the program.
Overnight, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg announced a series of changes to content moderation on the company’s platforms Facebook, Instagram and Threads.
This included the end of its independent fact-checking program, where news outlets were able to review social media posts on Meta’s platforms and were paid to publish fact-checks on the content. Meta would then use these fact-checks to limit the reach of content found to be incorrect or misleading.
In a short video posted online, Zuckerberg said that these fact-checkers had been “biased” and that the changes were intended to increase free expression on his platforms.
The announcement said this change would start in the US. Meta’s American fact-checking partners were apparently taken by surprise.
Crikey understands Meta’s Australian fact-checking partners had also been left in the dark about the decision, but that at least one of them will continue to work for Meta until at least 2026.
Australian Associated Press’ fact-checking unit, AAP FactCheck, has a contract with Meta that goes into 2026. It also has relationships with other tech companies like Google and TikTok.
The news organisation’s CEO Lisa Davies told Crikey in an email that its contract to produce fact-checks in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific is unaffected by the US decision and will continue in 2025.
She also stressed the team’s influence in fighting misinformation. “AAP FactCheck plays a critical role in responding to disinformation with factual, objective journalism and through media literacy education,” she told Crikey.
“Independent fact-checkers are a vital safeguard against the spread of harmful misinformation and disinformation that threatens to undermine free democratic debate in Australia and aims to manipulate public opinion.”
The news editor at Australia’s other remaining Meta fact-checking partner, Agence France Presse, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Meta’s decision comes amid a global political war on fact-checking and content moderation and a US tech industry-wide move towards placating incoming president Donald Trump.
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