Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced on Tuesday that its independent fact-checking initiative in Australia is geared towards identifying and eliminating deceptive content and deepfakes. The aim is to combat misinformation in light of an upcoming national election scheduled for May.
According to a blog post by the social media giant, content that incites immediate violence, poses physical harm, or disrupts voting processes will be promptly taken down. Additionally, the dissemination of misleading information on its platforms will be restricted.
Cheryl Seeto, Meta's Head of Policy in Australia, explained, "When content is debunked by fact-checkers, we attach warning labels and reduce its visibility in Feed and Explore to minimize exposure."
Agence France-Presse and the Australian Associated Press will be responsible for vetting the content for Meta, Seeto confirmed.
Recently, Meta revamped its U.S. fact-checking strategies, easing restrictions on sensitive topics like immigration and gender identity following pressure from conservatives for a comprehensive overhaul in handling political content on its services.
In addition to combating fake content, social media companies are battling the spread of deepfakes—highly realistic videos, images, or audio created through AI technology and presented as genuine.
Meta indicated that any deepfake violating its policies will either be removed or labeled "altered" and downgraded in the feed to limit exposure. Users will also be prompted to declare AI-generated content when posting or sharing it.
Seeto highlighted, "Even for content within policy guidelines, transparency is key for viewers to know if what they are seeing was produced using AI."
Opinion polls suggest a tight electoral race in Australia, with the opposition Liberal-National coalition holding a slim lead over the current center-left Labor party.
Meta's actions in Australia align with its efforts to combat misinformation during recent elections in countries like India, the U.K., and the U.S., Seeto added.
Facing regulatory challenges in Australia, Meta is set to encounter a government proposal to impose a levy on major tech companies to compensate for revenue garnered from displaying local news. Moreover, Meta and other social media platforms are mandated to enforce a ban on users below 16 by year-end, with ongoing consultations with authorities on the implementation process.