Nobel winner Maria Ressa tells AFP 'dangerous times' ahead after Meta ends U.S. fact-checking
The Hindu
Maria Ressa warns of dangerous times ahead for journalism and democracy after Meta ends fact-checking program.
Philippine Nobel laureate Maria Ressa warned Wednesday (January 8, 2025) of “extremely dangerous times ahead” in an interview with AFP after social media giant Meta ended its U.S. fact-checking program on Facebook and Instagram.
Ms. Ressa and the Rappler news site she co-founded have spent years fighting online disinformation while battling court cases filed under former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte after critical reporting of his deadly drug war.
The veteran journalist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 said Meta’s decision meant “extremely dangerous times ahead” for journalism, democracy and social media users.
“Mark Zuckerberg says it’s a free speech issue – that’s completely wrong,” Ms. Ressa told AFP at Rappler’s newsroom in Manila.
“Only if you’re profit driven can you claim that; only if you want power and money can you claim that. This is about safety.”
Meta’s announcement on Tuesday (January 7, 2025) was seen by analysts as an attempt by Mr. Zuckerberg to appease U.S. President-elect Donald Trump before his inauguration this month.
Mr. Trump has been a harsh critic of Meta and Zuckerberg for years, accusing the company of bias against him and threatening to retaliate against the tech billionaire once back in office.
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Maria Ressa warns of dangerous times ahead for journalism and democracy after Meta ends fact-checking program.
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