Facebook has partnered with Rappler and Vera Files to launch its fact-checking program which aims to help control the proliferation of fake news.
The social media giant chose the two media organizations, which have been certified through a non-partisan International Fact-Checking Network, as their third party media checkers that will “review news stories on Facebook, check their facts, and rate their accuracy,” as stated on Facebook Newsroom.
The decision aims to strengthen the authenticity and improve the quality of the stories that will appear on every user’s News Feed.
“We are committed to fighting the spread of false news and misinformation on multiple fronts, employing a variety of tools and tactics. They include disrupting financial incentives, taking action against fake accounts, applying machine learning to help diminish spam, and reducing the posts people see that link to low-quality web pages, providing people with easier access to additional perspectives and information. Partnering with third-party fact-checking organisations is one of the ways we hope to better identify and reduce the reach of false news that people share on our platform,” said Clair Deevy, Facebook’s Director for Community Affairs for APAC.
Maria A. Ressa, CEO and Executive Editor of Rappler Inc., said that they are happy that Facebook chose them to “help create a safe and sane public space for critical thinking and debate.”
Meanwhile, Ellen Tordesillas, President of Vera Files, said their partnership with the social media site aims “to reduce falsehoods on social media and help create an informed citizenry.”
However, the Palace and the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) did not agree with Facebook’s decision to partner with the aforementioned media organizations for fact-checking, saying that Rappler and Vera Files had drawn flak in the past for publishing stories criticizing the current administration.
PCOO Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy said that they commend Facebook’s move to fight fake news, but questioned its choice of fact-checkers.
PCOO Asec. Mocha Uson also expressed her opposition through a post she shared on her Facebook page.
“Satire site nga di alam ni Maria Ressa. Tapos ito naman si Ellen Tordesillas ng Vera Files, uutal-utal nung tinanong kung ano ibig sabihin ng fake news,” Uson wrote.
PCOO officials said that they will raise their concerns once they sit down for a meeting with Facebook.
Meanwhile, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that he only sympathizes with Facebook users, especially Duterte supporters, who are not happy with Facebook’s decision.
“I commiserate with those who object to the selection of Rappler and Vera Files because they know, we know where they stand in the political spectrum,” he said.
He also said that the two media organizations are “sometimes partisan themselves.”
