Imedi /  11 April 2024, 21:31 / Reliable source

Meta admits cooperating with FactCheck Georgia, Myth Detector - organisations staffed with former officials of previous UNM Gov’t

The American information technology company Meta on Thursday said that it partnered with FactCheck Georgia and MythDetector in Georgia.

Meta’s comments followed after the Facebook banners about the Georgian bill on transparency of foreign influence were blocked on social media.

“Meta employees do not fact-check content on our apps. Since we don't think it's appropriate for Meta to be the arbiter of truth, we rely on the International Fact-Checking Network to set guidelines for these high standards”, Meta said in a statement.

“In Georgia and around the world, Meta partners with independent third-party fact-checkers certified through the non-partisan International Fact-Checking Network and European Fact-Checking Standards Network. The independent fact-checkers, not Meta employees, determine what content to rate”, the statement noted.

Meta's partner “FactCheck Georgia”, named as an “independent fact checker”, is a project of Georgia's Reforms Associates (GRASS). The founder and chair of the board of GRASS is Sergi Kapanadze. Among the founders are also Elene Khoshtaria, Shota Utiashvili, Tina Burjaliani, and Nodar Kharshiladze.

Sergi Kapanadze was a member of the United National Movement party. He held the position of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia during the previous UNM Government. In 2006-2007, Kapanadze worked as the head of the analytical division of the Foreign Intelligence Service, and in 2006 he worked as the senior adviser of the presidential administration.

Elene Khoshtaria was the First Deputy Minister of State for European and Euro-Atlantic integration during the Government of United National Movement party in 2007-2012.

Tina Burjaliani was also a high-ranking official in the United National Movement Government. In 2009-2012, she held the position of the First Deputy Minister of Justice.

MythDetector, whose information Meta also relies on, is the portal of the Media Development Foundation, and the executive director of the foundation is Tamar Kintsurashvili, who during the previous United National Movement Government was the director of the Georgian Public Broadcaster.

It is noteworthy that the International Fact-Checking Network’s Code of Principles includes a series of commitments that organisations must adhere to in order to promote excellence in fact-checking: nonpartisanship and fairness, transparency of sources, transparency of funding and organisation, transparency of methodology, open and honest corrections policy.

Representatives of the domestic radical opposition and non-governmental organisation sector last week launched a disinformation campaign on social media against the bill on transparency of foreign influence.

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