The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: Following Meta’s decision to end its fact-checking programme citing ‘excessive censorship’, UN high commissioner for human rights Volker Türk has criticised the move.
“Allowing hate speech and harmful content online has real world consequences. Regulating this content is not censorship,” Türk wrote on X.
In a separate post on LinkedIn, Türk elaborated on the subject. “When we call efforts to create safe online spaces ‘censorship’, we ignore the fact that unregulated space means some people are silenced – in particular those whose voices are often marginalised. At the same time, allowing hatred online limits free expression and may result in real world harms,” he wrote.
Governance in digital space
In his port, Türk said that social media platforms hold immense potential to enhance lives and connect people. However, they have “demonstrated the ability to fuel conflict, incite hatred and threaten safety,” he added.
“At its best, social media is a place where people with divergent views can exchange, if not always agree,” he said.
The UN human rights chief said that he would continue to call for “accountability and governance in the digital space, in line with human rights. This safeguards public discourse, builds trust, and protects the dignity of all.”
A UN spokesperson in Geneva, commenting on Meta’s move, said the global organisation continually monitors and evaluates the online space, the UN news reported.
Michele Zaccheo, Chief of TV, Radio and Webcast, said, “It remains crucial for us to be present with fact-based information,” adding the UN remained committed to providing evidence-based information on social media platforms
The World Health Organisation (WHO) also reaffirmed its commitment to providing quality, science-based health information, maintaining a presence across various online platforms, the report said.
‘Meta’s move could cause harm’
Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg had announced last week that the social media giant would end its fact-checking programme, starting in the US, as it did not successfully address misinformation on the company’s platforms, stifled free speech and led to widespread censorship.
He said that self-regulation has resulted in “too much censorship”, adding that it was time to return to its “roots around free expression”.
The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) has rejected Zuckerberg’s “false” argument and warned it could cause harm, the UN news reported.
In a statement reacting to Meta’s decision, IFCN chief Angie Drobnic Holan said, “Fact-checking journalism has never censored or removed posts; it’s added information and context to controversial claims, and it’s debunked hoax content and conspiracy theories. The fact-checkers used by Meta follow a Code of Principles requiring nonpartisanship and transparency.”
A large body of evidence supports Holan’s position.
In 2023 in Australia alone, Meta displayed warnings on over 9.2 million distinct pieces of content on Facebook (posts, images and videos) and over 510,000 posts on Instagram, including reshares. These warnings were based on articles written by Meta’s third-party, fact-checking partners.