Facebook launches third-party fact checking

Facebook announced the launch of its third-party fact-checking programme in Malaysia in partnership with Agence France-Presse (AFP), which has been certified by the Poynter Institute’s non-partisan International Fact Checking Network.

The programme aims to reduce the spread of misinformation online and to help to build a more informed community in Malaysia. 

 
Starting today, AFP will review and rate the accuracy of stories on Facebook, including photos and videos.

When third-party fact-checkers rate a story as false, it will appear lower in News Feed, significantly reducing its distribution.

AFP fact-checkers will fact-check content on Facebook in English and Malay and will follow a standard set of criteria when determining the veracity of stories.
 
When third-party fact-checkers write articles about a piece of content, Facebook will show these in Related Articles immediately below the story in News Feed.

Page Admins and people on Facebook will also receive notifications if they try to share a post or have shared one in the past that’s been determined to be false, empowering people to decide for themselves what to read, trust, and share.

“We know that people want a safe platform for them to have a positive experience online.

“Our expanded third-party-fact-checking programme in APAC through continued partnership with AFP in Malaysia reaffirms our continued effort to help build a more informed community and supporting digital literacy in the country,” said Alice Budisatrijo, Strategic Partner Manager, Facebook Malaysia.
 
This programme is in line with Facebook’s three-part framework to improve the quality and authenticity of stories in the News Feed, wherein Facebook removes accounts and content that violate its Community Standards or ad policies, reduces the distribution of false news and inauthentic content like clickbait, and informs people by giving them more context on the posts they see. 
 
“AFP is committed to debunking disinformation around the world.

“With the addition of Malaysia and Bahasa Malaysia, AFP now writes fact checks in eight different languages, including English, French and Arabic, covering more than 20 countries worldwide.

“In the Asia-Pacific, AFP is already fact-checking in Australia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Singapore, and Sri Lanka,” said Cat Barton, AFP Asia Fact Check Editor. 

Facebook’s fact-checking programme, which now works with 54 partners around the world covering content in 43 languages, also relies on feedback from the Facebook community, as a signal to raise potentially false stories to fact-checkers for review.

This is the latest in a series of Facebook’s efforts to curb false news in Malaysia and Facebook will continue exploring efforts to support building an informed community.