Meta's decision to abandon its third-party fact-checking program has been met with applause by Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon, who sees it as a victory for free speech, albeit a belated one. Dillon, in an interview with Fox News Digital, commended Mark Zuckerberg's move to emulate Elon Musk's approach by replacing fact-checkers with a "community notes" feature on Facebook and Instagram. While acknowledging the positive nature of the change, Dillon expressed his belief that Zuckerberg missed an opportunity to champion free speech earlier, particularly during the de-platforming of former President Trump in 2021.
Zuckerberg's recent announcement emphasized a return to the company's foundational principles, focusing on minimizing errors, simplifying policies, and bolstering free expression. He candidly admitted the political biases within the third-party fact-checking system, acknowledging its detrimental impact on trust. The Babylon Bee, a Christian conservative-leaning satirical news platform, frequently found itself targeted by these fact-checkers for its humorous, often politically charged, content.
Dillon recounted instances where seemingly absurd satirical pieces, like a fabricated story about CNN purchasing a giant washing machine to "spin" news, were subjected to fact-checking. He argued that the very nature of satire relies on crafting fictional narratives, and the constant scrutiny threatened the existence of comedy and satire on these platforms. He believes the underlying truth within their jokes, which often challenge prevailing narratives and expose perceived hypocrisy, was the real target of the fact-checkers.
The Babylon Bee has a history of pushing back against accusations of intentionally disseminating misinformation. In 2021, The New York Times issued a correction after alleging the Bee's involvement in misinformation trafficking.
Dillon views Meta's shift as part of a broader cultural movement towards increased free speech and reduced censorship, spurred by Elon Musk's acquisition of X (formerly Twitter) and his subsequent reinstatement of previously suspended accounts, including the Babylon Bee and Donald Trump. He expressed cautious optimism about the continuation of this trend, emphasizing the importance of challenging questionable ideas through open discourse.
