News commentary
Fact-checkers are out. The internet gets to vote on the truth now.
Once upon a time — back in the hazy days of 2016 — platforms like Facebook and Twitter looked inward and spotted a problem. Their systems were infected with a wicked, fast-spreading virus. It was time to do something about it.
The problem? Mis- and disinformation. Election hoaxes. Distortions of basic science. Wild claims like the one that a pizza place in Washington, D.C., was secretly hosting a child sex trafficking ring.
The solution: Bring in professional fact-checkers — trained journalists who know how to separate fact from fiction.