Nina Jankowicz Statement on Meta Eliminating Fact Checkers

Following Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement that Meta will end its fact checking program, American Sunlight Project co-founder and CEO Nina Jankowicz released the following statement:

“Let’s be clear—the fact checkers have not “been” politically biased as Zuckerberg suggests, but have been *perceived as such* because of politically motivated efforts to smear them, one that Zuck is now participating in and capitulating to. Facebook has already contributed to the demise of journalism and this will be the final nail in the coffin; newsrooms —especially outside the U.S. where subscription models are difficult sells—get grants from Facebook to provide fact-checks. That money allows them to do other journalism! Zuck’s announcement is a full bending of the knee to Trump and an attempt to catch up to Musk in his race to the bottom. The implications are going to be widespread. Fact-checking was not a panacea to disinformation on Facebook but it was an important part of moderation. Bumpers are fully off the lane now. Fact checks don’t suppress speech, fact checks are actually more speech.”