{"id":6796,"date":"2020-11-09T08:00:04","date_gmt":"2020-11-09T07:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/?p=6796"},"modified":"2020-11-09T08:00:09","modified_gmt":"2020-11-09T07:00:09","slug":"facebook-fact-checking-policy-framework-and-nigerian-politicians-a-critical-reflection-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/facebook-fact-checking-policy-framework-and-nigerian-politicians-a-critical-reflection-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Facebook Fact-Checking Policy Framework and Nigerian Politicians: A Critical Reflection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Folarin Jamiu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the event of elections around the world in 2020 and challenges posed by political dis and misinformation, stakeholders have raised concerns about the implication of this period for the political process. Multiple approaches have been adopted by stakeholders to address these challenges in the digital public space that is seen as a catalyst to the spread of false information and political propaganda. Facebook is one of the tech companies that provide platforms for dissemination of political messages and has sustained collaboration with fact-checking organisations to flag and label contents on Facebook platforms as a way of bringing sanity to the digital public sphere. Following concerns raised by stakeholders about the negative use of Facebook by politicians on one hand, and of the need, on the other hand, to promote principles of \u201cfree marketplace of ideas,\u201d Facebook has been changing its policy to satisfy the two opposing demands. This study therefore undertook an assessment of Facebook policy on fact-checking politicians and reflected on whether this policy has influence on the editorial contents of fact-checking organisations in Nigeria (Africa Check, Dubawa and AFP Hub) which are all signatories to the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study reviewed the Facebook policies of fact-checking politicians in relation to literature on the same subject and reference to two of the five IFCN principles related to the policy. Assuming that it is the responsibility of the media to make the government accountable as enshrined in the constitution, the study sought to understand the influence of Facebook policy on fact-checking politicians on the editorials of fact-checking organisations in Nigeria? One of the questions that arose from the assessment of Facebook policy is whether fact-checking claims of politicians and political ads amount to \u201ccensoring or stifling political discourse\u201d? While reflecting on the above concerns of stakeholders, the study concluded that Facebook finds itself in an ethical dilemma. It also submitted that in view of the available evidence, the Facebook policy on fact-checking politicians has no noticeable influence on the editorial contents of the fact-checking organisations, despite Facebook funding of some fact-checking organisations in Nigeria. The two IFCN principles that serve as yardstick to reach this conclusion are: \u201cCommitment to Non-partisanship and Fairness\u201d and \u201cCommitment to Transparency of Funding and Organisation.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study also observed and recommended as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n