In recent months, the owners of Facebook, Meta, have faced mounting scrutiny for their handling of articles on their platform. Despite claims of transparency, Meta has been accused of removing legitimate articles as spam, impacting media organisations both large and small.

The Spam Labelling Issue

Articles covering a wide range of topics, from missing persons appeals to political news, have been flagged as spam by Meta’s algorithms. Curiously, some of these articles continue to appear on other platforms, such as Threads and police force Facebook pages. This inconsistency has raised concerns about Meta’s content moderation practices.

Appeals Process Discontinued

Initially, Meta allowed media outlets to appeal the removal of their articles. However, this process has now been halted, leaving journalists and publishers with limited recourse. Small media organisations, in particular, rely heavily on social media referrals to drive traffic to their websites. When legitimate articles are labelled as spam, it negatively impacts their reach and credibility.

Media Outlets Seek Alternatives

In response to Meta’s actions, some media outlets are diversifying their presence across other platforms. TSC News, for instance, is active on X, Threads, Instagram, Reddit, and LinkedIn, and has recently launched on Gettr and Truth Social. These alternative channels provide an avenue for reaching audiences without the risk of arbitrary content removal.

Facebook’s Silence

Despite attempts to engage with Meta, Facebook has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the flagged articles. The lack of communication exacerbates concerns about press freedom and the power wielded by social media giants.

While Meta’s actions may have unintended consequences for press freedom, journalists and media organisations continue to navigate this complex landscape.