To combat false information on the internet, Facebook and other social media behemoths have begun collaborating with the US government. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Meta-owned Facebook are working together on a unique site for government authorities to seek the removal of possibly deceptive user content.
This week, The Intercept reported on stolen documents that show how DHS intends to control false material on social media and other online platforms. These records show that the organization focuses on material that it deems unreliable about the causes of COVID-19 and the effectiveness of its vaccinations.
It also tries to counter false information that has been spread on social media on racial justice, the US exit from Afghanistan, and the type of US support for Ukraine. Misinformation is defined by DHS as “false information that is intentionally disseminated with the purpose to deceive or mislead,” however this definition is not entirely clear. Government authorities would have a wide field of play to decide which information is false or harmful as a result.
A request for comment has not yet received a response from DHS, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), or Facebook or Meta.
To read our blog on “New features by Meta for Facebook and Instagram users”, click here
