Facebook’s “independent fact-checkers” have become one of the most powerful tools of censorship on the internet. But who are these fact-checkers, and what makes them qualified to determine truth for 3 billion users?
The Fact-Check Industrial Complex
Organizations like PolitiFact, Snopes, and Lead Stories receive funding from the same tech companies and foundations they are supposed to hold accountable. This creates an obvious conflict of interest that undermines any claim of independence.
When a fact-checker labels your post as “missing context” or “partly false,” your reach is throttled by up to 95%. There is no meaningful appeal process. The fact-checker’s word is final.
Documented Bias
Studies have shown that fact-checkers disproportionately target conservative content. Opinion pieces are “fact-checked” as if they were news reports. Satire is labeled as misinformation. The standard is whatever serves the narrative.
The solution: Demand transparency. Fact-checkers should disclose their funding sources and publish their methodology. Users should have a real appeal process.