The International Fact-Checking Union (Yes That's Real) Convenes An Emergency Meeting

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced that Facebook and Instagram will no longer rely on "fact checkers" due to their political partisanship. Instead, Meta will introduce a "Community notes" system, similar to X, to promote free expression on its platforms. The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) has convened an emergency meeting to discuss its future after losing influence over two major social media platforms. The IFCN is comprised of organizations like PolitiFact and Snopes, which have been accused of being partisan and biased. The emergency meeting will draw around 80-100 attendees from IFCN's network of fact-checkers, many of whom have a stake in the program's future. The IFCN has played a crucial role in Meta's fact-checking ecosystem since 2016, accrediting organizations for Meta's third-party program. However, Zuckerberg has criticized the fact-checkers for damaging trust in Facebook and promoting censorship and leftist political bias. IFCN's director, Angie Holan, admitted that the meeting was called in response to Zuckerberg's announcement and that fact-checkers are upset about losing their partnership with Meta. Many social media users have reacted to the news with ridicule and criticism, accusing fact-checkers of spreading political propaganda and lies. The move is seen as a significant blow to the fact-checking industry, which has been accused of being overly partisan and biased.