Meta's Shift Away from Fact-Checking: A Dangerous Precedent?
Dear Listers, Meta's recent decision to replace its third-party fact-checking program with a "Community Notes" system has sent shockwaves through the tech world and raised serious concerns about the future of online discourse. While CEO Mark Zuckerberg frames this shift as a return to "foundational principles of free speech," critics argue that it prioritizes unchecked freedom over responsible content moderation. This move has significant implications, including: - Increased Risk of Misinformation - Heightened Concerns Over Hate Speech - Potential for Political Manipulation Cherie Oyier, Programs Officer-Women’s Digital Rights, KICTANet says this shift away from responsible content moderation poses a serious threat to the integrity of online discourse and raises critical questions about the role of technology companies in upholding democratic values. https://www.kictanet.or.ke/meta-ditches-fact-checkers-sparks-global-debate-o... *Kind Regards,* *David Indeje* *@**KICTANet* <https://www.kictanet.or.ke/> * Communications *_____________________________________ +254 (0) 711 385 945 | +254 (0) 734 024 856 KICTANet portals Connect With Us <https://linktr.ee/Kictanet> ______________________________________
The *"We are the Media Now!"* narrative by Elon Musk seems to be more embraced by the masses now than having *"Middle Men"* determine what should or should not be said. Both methods have their strengths and weaknesses, as Cherie has pointed out in the article, but a *50/50 middle ground* with both methods applied in my view will be *most ideal and sustainable.* Or is it just a *cost-cutting move* by Zuckerberg like Elon did with the Twitter Team? On Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 9:33 AM David Indeje via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Dear Listers,
Meta's recent decision to replace its third-party fact-checking program with a "Community Notes" system has sent shockwaves through the tech world and raised serious concerns about the future of online discourse.
While CEO Mark Zuckerberg frames this shift as a return to "foundational principles of free speech," critics argue that it prioritizes unchecked freedom over responsible content moderation.
This move has significant implications, including:
- Increased Risk of Misinformation - Heightened Concerns Over Hate Speech - Potential for Political Manipulation
Cherie Oyier, Programs Officer-Women’s Digital Rights, KICTANet says this shift away from responsible content moderation poses a serious threat to the integrity of online discourse and raises critical questions about the role of technology companies in upholding democratic values. https://www.kictanet.or.ke/meta-ditches-fact-checkers-sparks-global-debate-o...
*Kind Regards,*
*David Indeje*
*@**KICTANet* <https://www.kictanet.or.ke/> * Communications *_____________________________________ +254 (0) 711 385 945 | +254 (0) 734 024 856 KICTANet portals Connect With Us <https://linktr.ee/Kictanet> ______________________________________
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
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-- Best Regards, Kelvin Kariuki Assistant Lecturer Multimedia University of Kenya Faculty of Computing and Information Technology Twitter Handle: @teacherkaris Alt email: kkariuki@mmu.ac.ke Mobile: +2547 29 385 557 The Lord is my Shepherd
Greetings listers, @Kelvin Kariuki <kelvinkariuki89@gmail.com> i agree with you it appears to be a cost cutting issues considering the legal issues like the ongoing court case in Kenya. Best Regards On Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 6:24 PM Kelvin Kariuki via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
The *"We are the Media Now!"* narrative by Elon Musk seems to be more embraced by the masses now than having *"Middle Men"* determine what should or should not be said.
Both methods have their strengths and weaknesses, as Cherie has pointed out in the article, but a *50/50 middle ground* with both methods applied in my view will be *most ideal and sustainable.*
Or is it just a *cost-cutting move* by Zuckerberg like Elon did with the Twitter Team?
On Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 9:33 AM David Indeje via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Dear Listers,
Meta's recent decision to replace its third-party fact-checking program with a "Community Notes" system has sent shockwaves through the tech world and raised serious concerns about the future of online discourse.
While CEO Mark Zuckerberg frames this shift as a return to "foundational principles of free speech," critics argue that it prioritizes unchecked freedom over responsible content moderation.
This move has significant implications, including:
- Increased Risk of Misinformation - Heightened Concerns Over Hate Speech - Potential for Political Manipulation
Cherie Oyier, Programs Officer-Women’s Digital Rights, KICTANet says this shift away from responsible content moderation poses a serious threat to the integrity of online discourse and raises critical questions about the role of technology companies in upholding democratic values. https://www.kictanet.or.ke/meta-ditches-fact-checkers-sparks-global-debate-o...
*Kind Regards,*
*David Indeje*
*@**KICTANet* <https://www.kictanet.or.ke/> * Communications *_____________________________________ +254 (0) 711 385 945 | +254 (0) 734 024 856 KICTANet portals Connect With Us <https://linktr.ee/Kictanet> ______________________________________
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
PRIVACY POLICY: See https://mm3-lists.kictanet.or.ke/mm/lists/kictanet.lists.kictanet.or.ke/
KICTANet - The Power of Communities, is Kenya's premier ICT policy engagement platform.
-- Best Regards,
Kelvin Kariuki Assistant Lecturer Multimedia University of Kenya Faculty of Computing and Information Technology Twitter Handle: @teacherkaris Alt email: kkariuki@mmu.ac.ke Mobile: +2547 29 385 557
The Lord is my Shepherd
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
PRIVACY POLICY: See https://mm3-lists.kictanet.or.ke/mm/lists/kictanet.lists.kictanet.or.ke/
KICTANet - The Power of Communities, is Kenya's premier ICT policy engagement platform.
-- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254733206359 Skype: barrack.otieno PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
I think there might be more to this, especially to do with AI and the amount of content it is generating and balancing human generated content and synthetic content. This all might be driven to create stronger fact checking tools that are AI based and what better way to train such models than to first have a lot of data from this task to train it on and Community Notes offers this opportunity. Third-party fact-checkers might struggle to keep pace with the volume and complexity of misinformation, particularly when dealing with AI-generated deepfakes. The cost cutting approach to me seems more of a nice side effect of the long term goal they desire to achieve. Remember Meta as a social media platform has been more transparent with explaining to users why they are seeing certain content e.g prompted content, similar to posts you have interacted with, friends have interacted with, is AI generated, is algorithm recommended and even allows you to ask for more or less of the content. I think their goal has been to create a tool(s) for making verfication more transparent and switching to Community Notes might allow them to get the data to train these tools which they will sell to other platforms, or create a benchmark that can be regulated to allow them more dominance in the social media space. this approach I am hypothesizing also has its drawbacks which include those mentioned by David and also 1. Lack of effective safeguards to prevent manipulation of the Community Notes system 2. Difficult to develop AI algorithms that are unbiased and transparent. 3. Mechanisms to ensure AI recommendations align with cultural and contextual nuances, vary significantly across regions and languages. On Thu, Jan 9, 2025 at 9:04 AM Barrack Otieno via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Greetings listers,
@Kelvin Kariuki <kelvinkariuki89@gmail.com> i agree with you it appears to be a cost cutting issues considering the legal issues like the ongoing court case in Kenya.
Best Regards
On Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 6:24 PM Kelvin Kariuki via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
The *"We are the Media Now!"* narrative by Elon Musk seems to be more embraced by the masses now than having *"Middle Men"* determine what should or should not be said.
Both methods have their strengths and weaknesses, as Cherie has pointed out in the article, but a *50/50 middle ground* with both methods applied in my view will be *most ideal and sustainable.*
Or is it just a *cost-cutting move* by Zuckerberg like Elon did with the Twitter Team?
On Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 9:33 AM David Indeje via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Dear Listers,
Meta's recent decision to replace its third-party fact-checking program with a "Community Notes" system has sent shockwaves through the tech world and raised serious concerns about the future of online discourse.
While CEO Mark Zuckerberg frames this shift as a return to "foundational principles of free speech," critics argue that it prioritizes unchecked freedom over responsible content moderation.
This move has significant implications, including:
- Increased Risk of Misinformation - Heightened Concerns Over Hate Speech - Potential for Political Manipulation
Cherie Oyier, Programs Officer-Women’s Digital Rights, KICTANet says this shift away from responsible content moderation poses a serious threat to the integrity of online discourse and raises critical questions about the role of technology companies in upholding democratic values. https://www.kictanet.or.ke/meta-ditches-fact-checkers-sparks-global-debate-o...
*Kind Regards,*
*David Indeje*
*@**KICTANet* <https://www.kictanet.or.ke/> * Communications *_____________________________________ +254 (0) 711 385 945 | +254 (0) 734 024 856 KICTANet portals Connect With Us <https://linktr.ee/Kictanet> ______________________________________
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
PRIVACY POLICY: See https://mm3-lists.kictanet.or.ke/mm/lists/kictanet.lists.kictanet.or.ke/
KICTANet - The Power of Communities, is Kenya's premier ICT policy engagement platform.
-- Best Regards,
Kelvin Kariuki Assistant Lecturer Multimedia University of Kenya Faculty of Computing and Information Technology Twitter Handle: @teacherkaris Alt email: kkariuki@mmu.ac.ke Mobile: +2547 29 385 557
The Lord is my Shepherd
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
PRIVACY POLICY: See https://mm3-lists.kictanet.or.ke/mm/lists/kictanet.lists.kictanet.or.ke/
KICTANet - The Power of Communities, is Kenya's premier ICT policy engagement platform.
-- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254733206359 Skype: barrack.otieno PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
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KICTANet - The Power of Communities, is Kenya's premier ICT policy engagement platform.
-- Regards, Michael Michie
Hi all, an American perspective here: cutting the 3PFC program has a few benefits for Zuckerberg (though to be clear I think it is a terrible move): 1) Yes, cost cutting, 2) Wins goodwill with an incoming Republican administration and Congress, 3) Allows him to reframe EU and other regulations around the world as "censorship" and ally with right-wing ideologues in the US (and maybe Europe) in opposing them. The first two are expediency; the third is strategic. There might also be, as others have said, a data-collection and tool-training angle to this, but when coupled with Zuckerberg's statement that their AI tools are too blunt and punish too many users, I am not sure it is a large part of the decision. Has it been confirmed that the end of the fact-checking program is international and not just US? (There has been some confusion on that in the media here.) Cheers, Dean On Thu, Jan 9, 2025 at 3:03 AM Barrack Otieno via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Greetings listers,
@Kelvin Kariuki <kelvinkariuki89@gmail.com> i agree with you it appears to be a cost cutting issues considering the legal issues like the ongoing court case in Kenya.
Best Regards
On Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 6:24 PM Kelvin Kariuki via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
The *"We are the Media Now!"* narrative by Elon Musk seems to be more embraced by the masses now than having *"Middle Men"* determine what should or should not be said.
Both methods have their strengths and weaknesses, as Cherie has pointed out in the article, but a *50/50 middle ground* with both methods applied in my view will be *most ideal and sustainable.*
Or is it just a *cost-cutting move* by Zuckerberg like Elon did with the Twitter Team?
On Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 9:33 AM David Indeje via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Dear Listers,
Meta's recent decision to replace its third-party fact-checking program with a "Community Notes" system has sent shockwaves through the tech world and raised serious concerns about the future of online discourse.
While CEO Mark Zuckerberg frames this shift as a return to "foundational principles of free speech," critics argue that it prioritizes unchecked freedom over responsible content moderation.
This move has significant implications, including:
- Increased Risk of Misinformation - Heightened Concerns Over Hate Speech - Potential for Political Manipulation
Cherie Oyier, Programs Officer-Women’s Digital Rights, KICTANet says this shift away from responsible content moderation poses a serious threat to the integrity of online discourse and raises critical questions about the role of technology companies in upholding democratic values. https://www.kictanet.or.ke/meta-ditches-fact-checkers-sparks-global-debate-o...
*Kind Regards,*
*David Indeje*
*@**KICTANet* <https://www.kictanet.or.ke/> * Communications *_____________________________________ +254 (0) 711 385 945 | +254 (0) 734 024 856 KICTANet portals Connect With Us <https://linktr.ee/Kictanet> ______________________________________
_______________________________________________ KICTANet mailing list -- kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke To unsubscribe send an email to kictanet-leave@lists.kictanet.or.ke Unsubscribe or change your options at: https://mm3-lists.kictanet.or.ke/mm/lists/kictanet.lists.kictanet.or.ke/
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
PRIVACY POLICY: See https://mm3-lists.kictanet.or.ke/mm/lists/kictanet.lists.kictanet.or.ke/
KICTANet - The Power of Communities, is Kenya's premier ICT policy engagement platform.
-- Best Regards,
Kelvin Kariuki Assistant Lecturer Multimedia University of Kenya Faculty of Computing and Information Technology Twitter Handle: @teacherkaris Alt email: kkariuki@mmu.ac.ke Mobile: +2547 29 385 557
The Lord is my Shepherd
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
PRIVACY POLICY: See https://mm3-lists.kictanet.or.ke/mm/lists/kictanet.lists.kictanet.or.ke/
KICTANet - The Power of Communities, is Kenya's premier ICT policy engagement platform.
-- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254733206359 Skype: barrack.otieno PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
PRIVACY POLICY: See https://mm3-lists.kictanet.or.ke/mm/lists/kictanet.lists.kictanet.or.ke/
KICTANet - The Power of Communities, is Kenya's premier ICT policy engagement platform.
True @ teacherkaris that enjoined with a digital police unit(internet police) I think that could be the breakthrough to governing the digital space. We all agree the future works online and having all the structures and reforms adjusted to meet this goal sustainably could be a game changer. Those are my two cents and a penny. On Wed, Jan 8, 2025, 6:22 PM Kelvin Kariuki via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
The *"We are the Media Now!"* narrative by Elon Musk seems to be more embraced by the masses now than having *"Middle Men"* determine what should or should not be said.
Both methods have their strengths and weaknesses, as Cherie has pointed out in the article, but a *50/50 middle ground* with both methods applied in my view will be *most ideal and sustainable.*
Or is it just a *cost-cutting move* by Zuckerberg like Elon did with the Twitter Team?
On Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 9:33 AM David Indeje via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Dear Listers,
Meta's recent decision to replace its third-party fact-checking program with a "Community Notes" system has sent shockwaves through the tech world and raised serious concerns about the future of online discourse.
While CEO Mark Zuckerberg frames this shift as a return to "foundational principles of free speech," critics argue that it prioritizes unchecked freedom over responsible content moderation.
This move has significant implications, including:
- Increased Risk of Misinformation - Heightened Concerns Over Hate Speech - Potential for Political Manipulation
Cherie Oyier, Programs Officer-Women’s Digital Rights, KICTANet says this shift away from responsible content moderation poses a serious threat to the integrity of online discourse and raises critical questions about the role of technology companies in upholding democratic values. https://www.kictanet.or.ke/meta-ditches-fact-checkers-sparks-global-debate-o...
*Kind Regards,*
*David Indeje*
*@**KICTANet* <https://www.kictanet.or.ke/> * Communications *_____________________________________ +254 (0) 711 385 945 | +254 (0) 734 024 856 KICTANet portals Connect With Us <https://linktr.ee/Kictanet> ______________________________________
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
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-- Best Regards,
Kelvin Kariuki Assistant Lecturer Multimedia University of Kenya Faculty of Computing and Information Technology Twitter Handle: @teacherkaris Alt email: kkariuki@mmu.ac.ke Mobile: +2547 29 385 557
The Lord is my Shepherd
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
PRIVACY POLICY: See https://mm3-lists.kictanet.or.ke/mm/lists/kictanet.lists.kictanet.or.ke/
KICTANet - The Power of Communities, is Kenya's premier ICT policy engagement platform.
Ngacha Brayan Innovation lead Radicha ltd +254705371205 https://profile.radicha.co.ke/
I feel compelled to address Meta's recent decision to replace its fact-checking program with a "Community Notes" system in the United States. *The Delicate Balance of Free Speech and Responsible Content Moderation*While I appreciate Meta's stated intention to return to foundational principles of free speech, this move raises significant concerns about the potential consequences for online discourse and information integrity. *Misinformation and Accountability* The shift to a community-driven moderation system may inadvertently allow misinformation to proliferate unchecked. User-generated notes may not effectively combat false or misleading content without expert verification. This erosion of accountability could have far-reaching implications for the quality of information shared on Meta's platforms. *Impact on Vulnerable Communities* As someone who mentors young techpreneurs across Africa, I'm particularly concerned about the potential impact on marginalized groups. Without robust moderation systems, these communities may face increased exposure to harassment and targeted misinformation campaigns. *Geopolitical Implications* *Global Regulatory Challenges* Meta's decision could create tensions with international regulations, particularly the European Union's Digital Services Act, which mandates professional fact-checking to combat misinformation[4]. This misalignment may complicate Meta's operations in key markets and influence global tech policies. *Influence on Authoritarian Regimes* There's a risk that this move towards looser content moderation could be misused by authoritarian governments to justify their censorship practices, potentially undermining global human rights efforts and support for democratic movements. *A Call for a Balanced Approach* As a regular commentator on Internet Freedom and Net Neutrality, I believe we must find a middle ground that preserves free speech while also maintaining responsible content moderation. Meta should consider: 1. Implementing a hybrid system that combines community input with expert oversight 2. Investing in digital literacy programs to empower users to critically evaluate information 3. Collaborating with diverse stakeholders to develop culturally sensitive moderation policies While the intention to promote free speech is admirable, we must carefully consider the potential consequences of this shift. As tech industry leaders, we have a responsibility to foster an open and trustworthy digital environment. Lastly, I can't help but have this sneaky feeling that Mr. Zuckerberg is pandering to MAGA <https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/01/09/why-zuckerberg-reset-trump-relationship/77550589007/> and the incoming President. This is a dangerous precedence. Socal Media cannot be seen to be AGIP (Any Government in Power) Regards *Ali Hussein* Fintech | Digital Transformation Tel: +254 713 601113 Twitter: @AliHKassim LinkedIn: Ali's Profile <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim> <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim> Any information of a personal nature expressed in this email are purely mine and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the organizations that I work with. On Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 9:33 AM David Indeje via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Dear Listers,
Meta's recent decision to replace its third-party fact-checking program with a "Community Notes" system has sent shockwaves through the tech world and raised serious concerns about the future of online discourse.
While CEO Mark Zuckerberg frames this shift as a return to "foundational principles of free speech," critics argue that it prioritizes unchecked freedom over responsible content moderation.
This move has significant implications, including:
- Increased Risk of Misinformation - Heightened Concerns Over Hate Speech - Potential for Political Manipulation
Cherie Oyier, Programs Officer-Women’s Digital Rights, KICTANet says this shift away from responsible content moderation poses a serious threat to the integrity of online discourse and raises critical questions about the role of technology companies in upholding democratic values. https://www.kictanet.or.ke/meta-ditches-fact-checkers-sparks-global-debate-o...
*Kind Regards,*
*David Indeje*
*@**KICTANet* <https://www.kictanet.or.ke/> * Communications *_____________________________________ +254 (0) 711 385 945 | +254 (0) 734 024 856 KICTANet portals Connect With Us <https://linktr.ee/Kictanet> ______________________________________
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
PRIVACY POLICY: See https://mm3-lists.kictanet.or.ke/mm/lists/kictanet.lists.kictanet.or.ke/
KICTANet - The Power of Communities, is Kenya's premier ICT policy engagement platform.
Great analysis @Michie. Fact checking has its challenges, but at least it is done with credible institutions. If credibility is the problem here they have an option of replacing the fact checkers. Fact checkers nowadays work in a community of diverse stakeholders and can point each other out. But I’m sorry to say Zuckerberg’s speech is not about free expression but one seeking political alignment. He wouldn’t have made such a decision if Khamala won. Trump has been fighting institutions researching misinformation. Says the whole concept of misinformation is from elites trying to control the information sphere and threatened to reduce funding to universities. Zuckerberg speech points out to the fact that it’s trust and safety team is also biased and therefore moves it to Texas. Well, I can’t argue that Biden did any good when it comes to information integrity, but Trumps idea is even worse especially for the Global South. But America comes first of course. Kila mtu na mzigo yake/wake. Zuckerberg also calls for Trump’s aid in fighting efforts towards information integrity and mentions regions such as EU and Latam. Let’s see where this goes, I hope it will be worth the popcorns. Last time I checked, America tried to shut down TikTok, though legal means. Read (internet shutdown). Let’s hope this time Trump gets a sober EU. Best regards. Liz. PGP ID: 0x1F3488BF On Fri, 10 Jan 2025 at 17:05, Ali Hussein via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
I feel compelled to address Meta's recent decision to replace its fact-checking program with a "Community Notes" system in the United States.
*The Delicate Balance of Free Speech and Responsible Content Moderation*While I appreciate Meta's stated intention to return to foundational principles of free speech, this move raises significant concerns about the potential consequences for online discourse and information integrity.
*Misinformation and Accountability* The shift to a community-driven moderation system may inadvertently allow misinformation to proliferate unchecked. User-generated notes may not effectively combat false or misleading content without expert verification. This erosion of accountability could have far-reaching implications for the quality of information shared on Meta's platforms.
*Impact on Vulnerable Communities* As someone who mentors young techpreneurs across Africa, I'm particularly concerned about the potential impact on marginalized groups. Without robust moderation systems, these communities may face increased exposure to harassment and targeted misinformation campaigns.
*Geopolitical Implications*
*Global Regulatory Challenges* Meta's decision could create tensions with international regulations, particularly the European Union's Digital Services Act, which mandates professional fact-checking to combat misinformation[4]. This misalignment may complicate Meta's operations in key markets and influence global tech policies.
*Influence on Authoritarian Regimes* There's a risk that this move towards looser content moderation could be misused by authoritarian governments to justify their censorship practices, potentially undermining global human rights efforts and support for democratic movements.
*A Call for a Balanced Approach*
As a regular commentator on Internet Freedom and Net Neutrality, I believe we must find a middle ground that preserves free speech while also maintaining responsible content moderation. Meta should consider:
1. Implementing a hybrid system that combines community input with expert oversight 2. Investing in digital literacy programs to empower users to critically evaluate information 3. Collaborating with diverse stakeholders to develop culturally sensitive moderation policies
While the intention to promote free speech is admirable, we must carefully consider the potential consequences of this shift. As tech industry leaders, we have a responsibility to foster an open and trustworthy digital environment.
Lastly, I can't help but have this sneaky feeling that Mr. Zuckerberg is pandering to MAGA <https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/01/09/why-zuckerberg-reset-trump-relationship/77550589007/> and the incoming President. This is a dangerous precedence. Socal Media cannot be seen to be AGIP (Any Government in Power)
Regards
*Ali Hussein*
Fintech | Digital Transformation
Tel: +254 713 601113
Twitter: @AliHKassim
LinkedIn: Ali's Profile <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim> <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim>
Any information of a personal nature expressed in this email are purely mine and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the organizations that I work with.
On Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 9:33 AM David Indeje via KICTANet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Dear Listers,
Meta's recent decision to replace its third-party fact-checking program with a "Community Notes" system has sent shockwaves through the tech world and raised serious concerns about the future of online discourse.
While CEO Mark Zuckerberg frames this shift as a return to "foundational principles of free speech," critics argue that it prioritizes unchecked freedom over responsible content moderation.
This move has significant implications, including:
- Increased Risk of Misinformation - Heightened Concerns Over Hate Speech - Potential for Political Manipulation
Cherie Oyier, Programs Officer-Women’s Digital Rights, KICTANet says this shift away from responsible content moderation poses a serious threat to the integrity of online discourse and raises critical questions about the role of technology companies in upholding democratic values. https://www.kictanet.or.ke/meta-ditches-fact-checkers-sparks-global-debate-o...
*Kind Regards,*
*David Indeje*
*@**KICTANet* <https://www.kictanet.or.ke/> * Communications *_____________________________________ +254 (0) 711 385 945 | +254 (0) 734 024 856 KICTANet portals Connect With Us <https://linktr.ee/Kictanet> ______________________________________
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
PRIVACY POLICY: See https://mm3-lists.kictanet.or.ke/mm/lists/kictanet.lists.kictanet.or.ke/
KICTANet - The Power of Communities, is Kenya's premier ICT policy engagement platform.
_______________________________________________ KICTANet mailing list -- kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke To unsubscribe send an email to kictanet-leave@lists.kictanet.or.ke Unsubscribe or change your options at: https://mm3-lists.kictanet.or.ke/mm/lists/kictanet.lists.kictanet.or.ke/
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KICTANet is a multi-stakeholder Think Tank for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. KICTANet is a catalyst for reform in the Information and Communication Technology sector. Its work is guided by four pillars of Policy Advocacy, Capacity Building, Research, and Stakeholder Engagement.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
PRIVACY POLICY: See https://mm3-lists.kictanet.or.ke/mm/lists/kictanet.lists.kictanet.or.ke/
KICTANet - The Power of Communities, is Kenya's premier ICT policy engagement platform.
participants (8)
-
Ali Hussein -
Barrack Otieno -
Brayan Ngacha -
David Indeje -
Dean Jackson -
Kelvin Kariuki -
Liz Orembo -
Michael Michie