Facebook's pivot to reduce the influence of fact-checkers may lead to a loss of revenue and potential shutdown of these services, according to a report.

Facebook parent company Meta has announced that it will terminate its contracts with a network of fact-checkers, potentially leading to their closure. The company is moving towards a system similar to X's Community Notes.

A few months remain before we complete our task, as per managing editor Jesse Stiller of Check Your Fact, who shared this information with Planet Chronicle Digital.

We were caught off guard by this sudden and unforeseen development. We had no inkling that this decision was being contemplated until Mark released the video unexpectedly. As a result, we are uncertain about the future direction of the website.

On January 7, 2025, Meta announced that it would discontinue its fact-checking program and relax some content moderation rules in order to promote "free expression" on its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.

After the announcement, Meta emphasized their dedication to maintaining a thriving independent fact-checking sector to combat "misinformation" on the internet.

Since 2016, Meta has contributed over $100 million to fact-checking programs and boasts the largest global fact-checking network of any platform, as stated in an April 2022 blog post.

Meta did not respond when asked about the amount of money it had given to third-party fact-checkers before ending the program in early January 2025.

In early 2020, Meta prioritized "additional support and resources" for fact-checkers to combat health "misinformation," as stated on the company's website.

In collaboration with the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), Meta introduced a $1 million emergency grant program to combat misinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nearly 100 fact-checking organizations in more than 70 countries have produced over 11,000 fact-checks about COVID-19 across 40 languages, with seven specific projects focusing on vaccine "misinformation."

In August, Zuckerberg revealed that the Biden administration had urged Meta to suppress certain health information during the pandemic.

In January, Zuckerberg revealed to podcast host Joe Rogan that members of the Biden administration would "scream" and "curse" at his employees, pressuring them to remove information, particularly during the COVID-19 vaccine program rollout.

The IFCN received a $1 million "Climate Misinformation Grant" from Meta, which was used to fund organizations that combat climate misinformation and establish collaborative partnerships between fact-checkers and climate experts.

The company funded fact-checkers to enhance their ability to disseminate trustworthy information prior to the 2022 elections in multiple countries, including the U.S., Australia, France, and India.

Meta collaborated with these third-party fact-checkers in the US: AFP – Hub, Check Your Fact, Factcheck.org, Lead Stories, PolitiFact, Science Feedback, Reuters Fact Check, TelevisaUnivision, The Dispatch, and USA Today.

The funding of all 10 partners is expected to be lost. It is uncertain if Meta's changes will impact overseas fact-checkers.

In a recent interview with Planet Chronicle Digital, Meta's chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, asserted that the fact-checkers did not maintain impartiality.

"Kaplan stated that they went to independent, third-party fact-checkers. However, he pointed out that there is too much political bias in their fact-checking because they only fact-check what they see on the platform."

Several fact-checking organizations with financial ties to the tech conglomerate have issued statements critical of Zuckerberg and Meta's claims of political bias.

These groups were typically compensated for each fact-check they published through Meta's platforms and resources.

According to its financial disclosures, PolitiFact earned more than 5% of its 2024 revenue from its partnership.

PolitiFact, one of the original participants in Meta's third-party fact-checking program, will be affected by the company's decision to discontinue it, according to PolitiFact.

The Poynter Institute President Neil Brown criticized Meta's decision to ban political ads on its platforms, calling it a "disappointing cop-out" that "perpetuates a misunderstanding of its own program."

"Fact-checkers never censor anything, and Meta always held the cards. It's time to stop using inflammatory and false language when describing the role of journalists and fact-checking," Brown stated.

The New York Times reported that Lead Stories, a Facebook fact-checker with several former CNN employees, now does a significant portion of its work for ByteDance, TikTok's parent company. Previously, Meta was their primary client.

Zuckerberg's announcement shocked the company, as Lead Stories had signed a new yearlong contract with Meta just three weeks ago. As a result of severing ties with Meta, Lead Stories will experience a drop in revenue, leading to a "staffing reduction," according to co-founder Alan Duke.

Disbanding fact-checkers from social platforms is like disbanding your fire department, he said to CNN in early January.

USA Today excels in fact-based journalism, as stated by Kristin Roberts, the chief content officer of Gannet Media.

"We are the nation's go-to news source because we offer impartial and critical information for all individuals. Our commitment to truth and accuracy benefits everyone, regardless of political affiliation, and we will remain steadfast in this mission," she stated.

The company did not provide information on its financial relationship with Meta.

Planet Chronicle Digital did not receive a response from TelevisaUnivision, Lead Stories, Factcheck.org, AFP – Hub, The Dispatch, and Science Feedback when requesting a comment.

Reuters declined to comment.