According to a CNN report, a Facebook team sent a reminder to the fact-checking department to remind them that when former President Donald Trump officially announces his 2024 campaign he is off-limits from their department.
The Memo said: “Some of you have reached out seeking guidance regarding fact-checking political speech in anticipation of a potential candidacy announcement from former President Trump.
“Political speech is ineligible for fact-checking. This includes the words a politician says as well as photo, video, or other content that is clearly labeled as created by the politician or their campaign.
“If former President Trump makes a clear, public announcement that he is running for office, he would be considered a politician under our program policies.”
It’s not just Trump who gets an exception to the Meta fact-checking rules, all politicians/candidates do.
But there were enough questions about Trump that a manager on Meta’s "news integrity partnership” team sent the memo reminding fact-checkers earlier today.
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) November 15, 2022
CNN reporter Donie O’Sullivan said:
“Facebook sent a memo to its fact-checkers this afternoon telling them if Trump announces he’s running for president tonight they can no longer fact-check anything he says.
“It’s not just Trump who gets an exception to the Meta fact-checking rules, all politicians/candidates do.
“But there were enough questions about Trump that a manager on Meta’s “news integrity partnership” team sent the memo reminding fact-checkers earlier today.
“Trump is banned from Facebook and Instagram at the moment — although he may be allowed back on as soon as January.
“However, the page Team Trump, run by a Trump-affiliated group is still live and has 2.3 million followers.”
According to CNN:
Andy Stone, a Meta spokesperson, said the memo was “a reiteration of our long-standing policy should not be news to anyone.”
…Trump has not been allowed to post on his Facebook and Instagram accounts since the days following the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
However, Meta plans on considering allowing Trump back on the platform as soon as January – two years since his initial ban.
Trump is banned from Facebook and Instagram at the moment — although he may be allowed back on as soon as January.
However, the page Team Trump, run by a Trump-affiliated group is still live and has 2.3 million followers.
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) November 15, 2022
NEW: Facebook sent a memo to its fact-checkers this afternoon telling them if Trump announces he's running for president tonight they can no longer fact-check anything he says. https://t.co/2oKkYe2nyq
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) November 15, 2022
