Home ›› 24 May 2021 ›› Front
Facebook has announced the expansion of its third-party fact-checking programme in collaboration with AFP and Fact Watch, aiming at reducing the spread of misinformation in Bangladesh.
International news agency AFP and Fact Watch, which have been certified by the Poynter Institute's non-partisan International Fact-Checking Network, will review and rate the accuracy of Bangla and English stories on Facebook, including photos and videos in Bangladesh, said a press release on Monday.
When third-party fact-checkers rate a story as false, altered or partly false, it will appear lower in News Feed, significantly reducing its distribution on Facebook, it added.
The press release said Pages and domains that repeatedly share false news will also see their distribution reduced and their ability to monetise and advertise removed.
In addition, content across Facebook and Instagram that has been rated false or altered is prominently labelled so people can better decide for themselves what to read, trust, and share. These labels are shown on top of false and altered photos and videos.
“Expanding our fact-checking programme with new partners from AFP and Fact Watch, is an important step in our effort to reduce false news which requires the support of the broader community,” said Anjali Kapoor, Director of News Partnership, APAC at Facebook
“As part of our effort to build more informed communities, the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, the IFCN and our fact-checking partners will host a discussion on the importance of fact-checking during the pandemic. We welcome the efforts and hope to work together to help build a more informed community in Bangladesh,” she added.
Facebook in 2020 worked with the Ministry of Education, ICT Division and civil society partners in Bangladesh to launch ‘We Think Digital’, the company’s flagship programme to empower the next generation of digital-first citizens to become more responsible and create respectful communities online.
Last week, the ‘Facebook Journalism Project’ and Reuters jointly launched Reuters Digital Journalism Course in Bangladesh to help journalists build a strong foundation in digital reporting and editing.
Facebook has been working with Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and ICT Division to help people access information about Covid-19, hygiene practices and vaccines. In April, the social media platform also launched a media literacy campaign in Bangladesh to tackle Covid-related misinformation.
