Meta to Abandon Fact Checking Programs, How This Will Impact Thai Users of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads

Meta, the parent company of platforms like Facebook and Instagram, has announced the termination of its third-party fact-checking program in favor of a community-driven “Community Notes” system. This decision, made public on January 7th, 2025, marks a pivot towards a model pioneered by X (formerly Twitter), where instead users contribute to fact-checking and adding context to posts. This change could have profound implications for users in Thailand, where social media plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion, disseminating news, and facilitating political discourse.

Meta’s decision comes after years of employing independent fact-checkers to combat misinformation, a move initially made in response to criticisms regarding the spread of allegedly false information on its platforms. However, according to Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg, this approach had become “too politically biased” and was counterproductive, leading to a loss of trust rather than its enhancement. The new system, inspired by X’s Community Notes, relies on users to provide additional context or corrections to potentially misleading content, aiming to foster a more open dialogue and reduce what Meta describes as “censorship”.

TPN Media notes that this alleged censorship recently came to light during the COVID-19 crisis and US elections in which fact checkers were increasingly accused of allegedly censoring certain viewpoints or information to favor a mostly left leaning bias. It also comes from revelations of governments, including the Biden/Harris administration, pressuring Facebook to censor certain content, especially around vaccines or lockdowns during COVID-19.
In a letter to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, Mark Zuckerberg admitted that in 2021, senior officials from the Biden-Harris administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured Meta for months to censor certain COVID-19 content. This included humor and satire, with government officials expressing frustration when Meta didn’t comply. Zuckerberg stated, “I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it,” indicating a direct acknowledgment of government influence on content moderation decisions.


Impact on Thai Users

1. Information Quality

  • Positive Outlook: Proponents argue that this might democratize the process of information verification, enabling a broader spectrum of voices, including those from Thailand, to contribute to the narrative around news and events.

    Proponents argue that this might democratize the process of information verification, enabling a broader spectrum of voices, including those from Thailand, to contribute to the narrative around news and events.

  • Concerns: However, there’s a palpable worry from some people especially on forums like Reddit that without professional fact-checkers, the quality of information might decline. Misinformation, especially in politically sensitive areas or during elections, could proliferate more freely. In Thailand, where political discourse can be sensitive due to historical and cultural contexts, this could increase alleged misinformation, particularly in languages like Thai where fewer users might participate in community notes.

    However, there’s a palpable worry from some people especially on forums like Reddit that without professional fact-checkers, the quality of information might decline. Misinformation, especially in politically sensitive areas or during elections, could proliferate more freely. In Thailand, where political discourse can be sensitive due to historical and cultural contexts, this could increase alleged misinformation, particularly in languages like Thai where fewer users might participate in community notes.

2. Freedom of Expression vs. Misinformation:

  • More Speech: The move is seen by some as a return to Meta’s foundational principles of promoting free speech. For Thai users, this could mean fewer restrictions on discussing topics like immigration, gender issues, or political critique, which have sometimes been moderated under previous policies.

    The move is seen by some as a return to Meta’s foundational principles of promoting free speech. For Thai users, this could mean fewer restrictions on discussing topics like immigration, gender issues, or political critique, which have sometimes been moderated under previous policies.

  • Risk of Harmful Content: Critics fear this could lead to an increase in hate speech, conspiracy theories, or propaganda, especially in a country like Thailand with a history of political turbulence. The absence of professional fact-checkers might allow misleading narratives to gain traction, affecting public opinion or even inciting unrest.

    Critics fear this could lead to an increase in hate speech, conspiracy theories, or propaganda, especially in a country like Thailand with a history of political turbulence. The absence of professional fact-checkers might allow misleading narratives to gain traction, affecting public opinion or even inciting unrest.

3. User Engagement and Responsibility:

  • Empowerment: Thai users could find themselves more engaged, as they take on roles in managing content accuracy. This could foster a sense of community and responsibility among users, potentially leading to more accurate information ecosystems if managed well.

    Thai users could find themselves more engaged, as they take on roles in managing content accuracy. This could foster a sense of community and responsibility among users, potentially leading to more accurate information ecosystems if managed well.

  • User Overload: On the flip side, the burden of fact-checking could fall on users who might not have the time, resources, or expertise to do so effectively. This could lead to fatigue or disengagement, particularly among those less tech-savvy or not as deeply invested in the platform’s community governance.

    On the flip side, the burden of fact-checking could fall on users who might not have the time, resources, or expertise to do so effectively. This could lead to fatigue or disengagement, particularly among those less tech-savvy or not as deeply invested in the platform’s community governance.

4. Regulatory and Social Consequences:

  • Legal Challenges: Thailand has strict laws regarding online content and defamation, particularly concerning lèse-majesté. Without fact-checkers, navigating these legal landscapes could become more complex for Meta, potentially leading to more content being flagged or removed by other means. In Thailand defamation and libel is not just civil but also criminal and can carry intense penalties.

    Thailand has strict laws regarding online content and defamation, particularly concerning lèse-majesté. Without fact-checkers, navigating these legal landscapes could become more complex for Meta, potentially leading to more content being flagged or removed by other means. In Thailand defamation and libel is not just civil but also criminal and can carry intense penalties.

Meta’s decision to replace fact-checkers with a community notes system is a gamble that could either democratize content moderation or lead to a surge in misinformation. The success of this new policy will largely depend on how well the Thai community adapts to this model, the level of participation, and Meta’s ability to refine the system to meet local needs and challenges. As this change unfolds, it will be crucial for Thai users to remain vigilant and active in shaping the narrative on social media platforms.

It’s worth noting that as to when this system is introduced in Thailand is also a question mark. Meta says at first only the US will have the new community notes system, and then other countries will gradually follow. It’s likely that countries with stricter defamation laws like Thailand or the UAE or even those with strict information security laws like Vietnam or India may be significantly delayed on this system, adds TPN.

Many TPN readers have complained over the years about alleged Facebook censorship or being too restrictive on expressing ones opinion. At the end of the day, this change should please many of our readers if it means less restrictions, account warnings, and censorship.

This comes after other shakeups at Meta such as including the addition of UFC CEO Dana White to its board of directors, signaling a strategic alignment with conservative viewpoints. Alongside this, Meta is relocating its trust and safety and content moderation teams from California to Texas, aiming to address concerns about content bias by moving to a less liberal environment.

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Adam Judd
Mr. Adam Judd is the Chief of Content, English language, of TPN Media since December 2017. He is originally from Washington D.C., America, but has also lived in Dallas, Sarasota, and Portsmouth. His background is in retail sales, HR, and operations management, and has written about news and Thailand for many years. He has lived in Pattaya for over a decade as a full-time resident, is well known locally and been visiting the country as a regular visitor for over 15 years. His full contact information, including office contact information, can be found on our Contact Us page below. Stories please e-mail Editor@ThePattayanews.com About Us: https://thepattayanews.com/about-us/ Contact Us: https://thepattayanews.com/contact-us/