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1. Facebook, at the behest of climate science deniers, has created a massive loophole to its fact-checking program
The company is VERY reluctant to talk about it
It's not a pretty picture
Here is what we know https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
The company is VERY reluctant to talk about it
It's not a pretty picture
Here is what we know https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
2. In May 2019, Facebook partnered with Science Feedback. It's a site that takes an EXTREMELY rigorous approach to fact-checking scientific information.
For each piece it reviews it brings in MULTIPLE PHD SCIENTISTS. It's the gold standard. https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
For each piece it reviews it brings in MULTIPLE PHD SCIENTISTS. It's the gold standard. https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
3. Then in August 2019, notorious climate science denier Pat Michaels published a piece in the Washington Examiner claiming scientific climate models were all wrong.
Science Feedback had 5 PHD CLIMATE SCIENTISTS review it. They rated it false. https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
Science Feedback had 5 PHD CLIMATE SCIENTISTS review it. They rated it false. https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
4. As a result, Michaels' piece was labeled false on Facebook and its distribution was reduced.
But then a org w/close ties to the oil industry wrote Zuckerberg & demanded Facebook overrule Science Feedback
AND FACEBOOK DID. IT OVERRULED THE SCIENTISTS https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
But then a org w/close ties to the oil industry wrote Zuckerberg & demanded Facebook overrule Science Feedback
AND FACEBOOK DID. IT OVERRULED THE SCIENTISTS https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
5. Let me stop here and say this is not how the fact-checking program is supposed to work. Facebook is supposed to have no role in the appeals process. That's why Facebook refers to the fact-checkers as "independent" https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
6. Facebook does this kind of stuff because it doesn't think people care about the details & prioritizes appeasing the right
You can help reverse this dynamic, & get more accountability journalism, by signing up for my newsletter, Popular Information http://popular.info/subscribe
You can help reverse this dynamic, & get more accountability journalism, by signing up for my newsletter, Popular Information http://popular.info/subscribe
7. For this edition, I teamed up with @emorwee who writes the world's best climate newsletter, HEATED.
So if you care about the earth and maintaining a livable planet, you should sign up for her newsletter too: http://heated.world/subscribe
But I'm not done this thread either
So if you care about the earth and maintaining a livable planet, you should sign up for her newsletter too: http://heated.world/subscribe
But I'm not done this thread either
8. The CO2 coalition, the group of climate science deniers who demanded Facebook overrule Science Feedback, says a "conservative" Facebook employee helped get it done
Facebook says that isn't true but will not say who made the decision https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
Facebook says that isn't true but will not say who made the decision https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
9. Last year, the WSJ reported that Facebook had decided to exempt "opinion" from fact-checking
Facebook however would not confirm this and has announced no such change
Its rules does not include such an exemption https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
Facebook however would not confirm this and has announced no such change
Its rules does not include such an exemption https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
10. Quite the opposite. The rules say its the factcheckers who decide whether something is a fact or an opinion.
The important part here is SAYING CLIMATE MODELS HAVE BEEN WRONG IS NOT AN OPINION
It's false information https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
The important part here is SAYING CLIMATE MODELS HAVE BEEN WRONG IS NOT AN OPINION
It's false information https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
11. But the climate science deniers say there is now an exemption for "opinion" that it will exploit and they are very excited about it because mainstream media won't print their misinfo anymore and now Facebook will be open season https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
12. Anyway, @emorwee talked to a bunch of climate science experts about this and, as you might expect, they aren't thrilled about all this
I'll let you read the piece for all the quotes because I won't do them justice here https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
I'll let you read the piece for all the quotes because I won't do them justice here https://popular.info/p/facebook-creates-fact-checking-exemption
