Instagram expands factchecking globally

Instagram on Monday announced it had gone global in its fight against misinformation, expanding its third-party fact-checking network around the world. The Facebook-owned social platform launched a fact-checking programme in the US early this year.

“Today’s expansion is an important step in our ongoing efforts to fight misinformation on Instagram,” it said in an online post. “Photo and video based misinformation is increasingly a challenge across our industry, and something our teams have been focused on addressing.”

Facebook and Instagram, like many other social media platforms, have come under intense pressure in the United States and globally for allowing misinformation to spread. Instagram initially began working with third-party organisations in the US to help identify, review and label bogus posts.

Facebook began its own version of the program in December 2016. Around 60 media, including news organisations and specialised fact-checkers, work worldwide on the Facebook programme.