Disinformation and the Facebook news ban
AUSTRALIAN media companies are now barred from publishing any news content through Facebook. This decision follows pressure from the Australian government to require social media companies to pay media organizations for content.
As of yesterday morning, users were unable to view articles from traditional news sites, government pages, not-for-profits, and even commercial outlets. In addition to these blackouts, vital safety information about COVID-19, meteorology, and even domestic violence helplines.
According to the Reuters Digital News Report, Facebook ranks as the top social media and messaging service for Australian users. Understanding this, it seems highly problematic that Facebook would ban many of its users from accessing high-quality information on their platform.
At a time when disinformation campaigns are rampant throughout social media – for example, increasing popularity in QAnon conspiracy theories and alt-right propaganda – banning access to verifiable information will continue the spread of problematic information on Facebook.
People who cannot afford to invest in high-quality journalism rely on social media sites, such as Facebook, to access free information. Furthermore, users may not be taking the necessary measures to source content from other platforms – leaving them vulnerable to fake news, conspiracy theories, and disinformation on Facebook.
And although decision is still fairly new, the repercussions of blocking news content on Facebook for Australian users will lead to dangerous, and perhaps deadly consequences. People who cannot access information about hazardous weather events or protect themselves from disinformation will be the real victims of Facebook’s decision.
Of course, I have stated my disdain for Facebook in other blog posts – they are a propaganda factory. However, understanding that millions of Australians rely on them for news means that snap decisions like these cannot be taken lightly. Therefore, I encourage Australian users to consider switching platforms or subscribing directly to news sites because, ultimately, Facebook should not be trusted for quality news.