The Philippines argues that Facebook’s fact-checking programme is biased

Earlier this month, Facebook announced the launch of a fact-checking programme in the Philippines to combat the spread of fake news. To implement the programme, Facebook chose to partner with two online news platforms – VERA Files and Rappler IQ. The Philippines government has criticised Facebook’s choice, stating that the two platforms are biased against President Rodrigo Duterte. An official from the Presidential Communications Operations Office, cited by Reuters, noted that, while Facebook’s intention to counter fake news is welcome, the choice of fact-checkers is concerning. Rappler IQ has previously been accused of ‘trying to undermine the government’, and it now has its operating license suspended at the moment, following a decision of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which considered that the company was violating foreign ownership rules.