Meta Informs Brazil's AGU of Fact-Checking Program End in US, Plans Community Notes Expansion

Jan 14, 2025, 10:36 AM

Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has responded to a request from Brazil's Attorney General's Office (AGU) regarding the termination of its fact-checking program. The company, led by Mark Zuckerberg, informed the AGU that the cessation of the fact-checking initiative will initially be implemented only in the United States, with plans to test and refine the 'Community Notes' system before any potential expansion to other countries. The AGU had set a 72-hour deadline for Meta to provide explanations about the changes in its content moderation policies. The response from Meta was received just before the deadline, and the AGU plans to analyze the document in a technical meeting involving representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Human Rights, and the Secretariat of Social Communication of the Presidency of the Republic. The AGU expressed concerns about the impact of these changes on fundamental rights in Brazil and indicated that further steps would be determined after the analysis.