Experts and politicians are warning that significant changes to Meta’s social media platform are setting it on a collision course with lawmakers in the UK and the European Union.
Lawmakers in Brussels and London have criticized Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to remove fact-checkers from Facebook, Instagram, and Threads in the US, with one MP describing it as “absolutely frightening.”
Changes to Meta’s global policy on hateful content now allow users to refer to transgender people as “it,” and the guidelines state that “no mental illness or abnormality based on gender or sexual orientation shall be permitted.”
Chi Onwula, a Labor MP and chair of the House of Commons science and technology committee, has expressed alarm at Zuckerberg’s decision to eliminate professional fact-checkers, calling it “alarming” and “pretty scary.”
Maria Ressa, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning American-Filipino journalist, has warned of “very dangerous times” ahead for journalism, democracy, and social media users due to Meta’s changes.
Damian Collins, the former UK technology secretary, has raised concerns about potential trade negotiations by the Trump administration that could pressure the UK to accept US digital regulatory standards.
Mehta’s move, revealed as a response to Donald Trump’s inauguration, has sparked predictions of challenges from the Trump administration on laws like the Online Safety Act.
Zuckerberg has hinted at extending his policy of removing fact-checkers beyond the US, raising concerns among experts and lawmakers in the UK and EU.
Regulatory scrutiny on Meta’s changes is expected to increase in the UK and EU, with concerns about the spread of misinformation and potential violations of digital services law.
Mehta has assured that content related to suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders will continue to be considered high-severity violations, but concerns remain about the impact on children in the UK.
Source: www.theguardian.com
