Miami (January 8, 2025) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) expressed its deep concern over the recent announcement by the tech giant Meta to eliminate its fact-checking program and replace it with a "community notes" system. According to the international organization, the move announced by the parent company of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp represents a significant setback in the fight against disinformation and contradicts fundamental principles laid out in the IAPA's Declaration of Salta II on principles of freedom of expression in the digital age.
Principle 11 of the Declaration of Salta II states: "The malicious or deliberate dissemination of misinformation by State or private actors affects public trust and weakens democratic processes. In addition to the responsibilities of those who issue, distribute, amplify, or monetize these messages, news and digital literacy policies about the impact of technologies on privacy, informational self-determination, and information consumption must be adopted."
For the IAPA, Meta's decision to quit its direct responsibility in information verification and delegate it solely to anonymous users weakens the necessary efforts to combat the spread of fake news, an issue that directly impacts the distortion of public debate and, as a result, deeply affects the quality of democratic systems.
The organization, which represents more than 1,300 media outlets across the continent, also referred to Principle 14 of the Declaration of Salta II, which states: "Technological intermediaries, such as developers of AI systems and other digital technologies, must respect human rights, promote freedom of expression, and resist pressures from governments and groups of power. They must implement self-regulation policies to prevent disinformation maneuvers and violating third-party rights on their platforms Content moderation and curation rules must be clear and transparent, allow the exercise of complaint and review rights, and comply with international human rights standards."
For the IAPA, the announcement by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to replace disinformation control with a "community notes" model like that used by the X platform (formerly Twitter) lacks the transparency and rigor necessary to ensure that content moderation and curation standards align with international human rights standards. Therefore, this change not only risks user rights but also promotes a digital environment susceptible to manipulation and abuse. Furthermore, it sets a dangerous precedent if other platforms adopt similar policies and could lead to government regulations that generally result in prior censorship, violating international norms.
Meta's decision adds to previous actions by the company in which it downgraded or penalized the journalistic content produced by professional media outlets, which are the main antidote against disinformation. This occurred with the blocking of news in its products in Canada following the passage of a copyright protection law in that country, with modifications to its products to minimize verified news, and with the elimination of its programs supporting journalism in the digital ecosystem.
"Disinformation is one of the main threats to public trust and democratic stability. Meta's decision to eliminate professional verification on its platforms weakens a crucial element in the fight against this problem and leaves a gap that is unlikely to be filled by a model based on anonymous users," said José Roberto Dutriz, president of IAPA and CEO and director of La Prensa Gráfica in El Salvador.
Carlos Jornet, Second Vice-President of the IAPA and president of the entity's Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, emphasized: "This measure contradicts the fundamental principles of the Declaration of Salta II, which demands clear, transparent policies based on international standards to combat disinformation." Jornet, editorial director of the newspaper La Voz del Interior in Córdoba, Argentina, stated: "Meta is sending the wrong message at a time when the commitment to freedom of expression and human rights must be strengthened, not weakened."
The Declaration of Salta II was approved at the close of the General Assembly in Córdoba on October 20. The update adapts the original text to new challenges that press freedom faces in the digital age.
Among the key issues addressed in this new version are artificial intelligence, algorithmic opacity, which can foster polarization and the spread of disinformation, thus undermining public debate; commercial disruptions created by large tech companies that dominate the advertising market; and intellectual property rights, whose respect is essential for the economic viability of journalism.
The process of updating the Declaration of Salta was a collective effort involving broad consultation, with more than 150 people and organizations representing media, tech companies, international communication companies, think tanks, human rights intergovernmental organizations, civil society, academics, journalists, and lawyers, providing input.
The IAPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to defending and promoting freedom of the press and expression in the Americas. It comprises more than 1,300 publications from the western hemisphere and is based in Miami, Florida, United States.
