We are now being welcomed to a world without political courage. Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to stop fact-checking on his platform Meta is more than a dangerous shift to the right. Claiming he is standing for free speech, the platform will now permit all kinds of garbage posing as “news” and hate speech posing as opinions.
Big names now are fearful and cowering because of threats of retribution coming from a man who is taking his playbook from Putin, Orban, and Xi Jinping. Granted that the topics named by Zuckerberg in his cowardly statement are contentious, removing fact-checking will only increase the vitriol on the web.
Persons like Maria Ressa, the Filipino Nobel laureate, and Frances Haugen, the Meta whistleblower, noted how Facebook was used to increase violence, ethnic attacks, and even child sex trafficking. This is nothing but bootlicking out of fear.
Prayer for the Day
Now we approach the far of dark times, O God,
Where even the once courageous shudder in fear;
Now we wonder who or what will be the next to fall, O God,
As we consider how we are to witness to your Gospel.
Give us courage and strength, O Holy One, in this time,
For the most vulnerable will be the first to fall.
In the name of the One who gives us strength,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
Journalists have a set of standards and ethics. What Facebook is going to do is get rid of that and then allow lies, anger, fear and hate to infect every single person on the platform.
Maria Ressa, Filipino Nobel laureate
This is an extinction-level event for the idea of objective truth on social media – an organism that was already on life support, but was clinging on in part because Meta was willing to fund independent factchecking organisations in order to try to maintain some element of truthfulness, free from political bias. Night is day. Up is down. Meta is X.
Chris Stokel-Walker, journalist, author of Tik-Tok Boom
Rise up, O judge of the earth; give to the proud what they deserve!
O Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?
They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast
They crush your people, O Lord, and afflict your heritage.
Psalm 94: 2-4