This analysis puts in perspective on one hand Meta’s announcement to end its Third-Party Fact-Checking Program (TPFC) and on the other the EU tightening the digital rules under the Digital Service Act (DSA).
Meta chose to rely on Community notes, a community-based fact-checking system instead of its TPFC program to “prioritize free speech” and “combat censorship” in the United States. In Europe, under the Digital Services regulations (such as the DSA), very large online platforms (VLOPs) can be held accountable for the spread of disinformation. Nevertheless, VLOPs are not mandated to cooperate with professional fact-checking but simply to address the issue how they see fit. In addition, the analysis explains the relevance of this thematic in the Western Balkans where VLOPs have an “overwhelming negative effect of information integrity.”