Facebook has announced it will start labeling media that are “wholly or partially under the editorial control of their government.”
In a statement, they said the decision came out of a desire to provide greater transparency into publishers because “they combine the influence of a media organisation with the strategic backing of a state.”
The tech-giant added that they believe people should know if the news they read is coming from a source that is influenced or controlled by the government.
In addition to this, they announced they will begin labelling adverts from state-backed publishers later in the year. Facebook will also block ads from political outlets in the run-up to the November 2020 Election in a bit to “provide an extra layer of protection against various types of foreign influence”.
Facebook defines state-owned or controlled media by taking into account the mission statement, ownership and leadership structure, editorial guidelines, newsroom leadership and staff, source of funding and revenue, and governance and accountability mechanisms.
