Meta Layoffs Halt Development on Facebook Fact-Checking Project (Report)
thewrap.comreported by CNBC, “three people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named due to confidentiality agreements” stated the tool has been nixed as a byproduct of the mass layoffs.The project would’ve helped combat misinformation by letting third-party fact checkers, such as Reuters and the Associated Press, add comments atop suspicious articles being circulated on Facebook.
Vetted, credible experts would also have the ability to leave such comments as a way of keeping people informed about the content’s legitimacy.At present, misinformation is a concern for many, especially those who primarily consume digital news.
It’s never been easier for a misreported fact to go viral and become the “definitive” version of a story via a few well-placed article shares, which is what Meta’s tool was meant to combat.
The Facebook parent’s cost-saving measures has now brought production on that tool to a halt half a year into its development.
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