Latest Misinformation News

Democratic officials criticize Meta ad policy, saying it amplifies lies about 2020 election

May. 03, 2024 15:35 PM EDT

ATLANTA (AP) — Several Democrats serving as their state's top election officials have sent a letter to the parent company of Facebook, asking it to stop allowing ads that claim the 2020 presidential election was stolen. In the letter addressed to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the...

As India votes, misinformation surges on social media: 'The whole country is paying the price'

May. 02, 2024 01:15 AM EDT

NEW DELHI (AP) — Bollywood stars seldom weigh in on politics, so videos showing two celebrities criticizing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi — and endorsing his main opposition, the Congress party — were bound to go viral. But the clips of A-list actors Aamir Khan and...

News organizations have trust issues as they gear up to cover another election, a poll finds

May. 01, 2024 16:29 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Even as many Americans say they learn about the 2024 election campaign from national news outlets, a disquieting poll reveals some serious trust issues. About half of Americans, 53%, say they are extremely or very concerned that news organizations will report...

Meta under fire from European Union for not doing enough about election disinformation

Apr. 30, 2024 11:15 AM EDT

LONDON (AP) — The European Union said Tuesday that it's investigating Facebook and Instagram for suspected violations of the bloc's digital rulebook, including not doing enough to protect users from foreign disinformation ahead of EU-wide elections. The European Commission, the...

Insider Q&A: Trust and safety exec talks about AI and content moderation

Apr. 22, 2024 16:48 PM EDT

Alex Popken was a longtime trust and safety executive at Twitter focusing on content moderation before leaving in 2023. She was the first employee there dedicated to moderating Twitter's advertising business when she started in 2013. Now, she's vice president of trust and safety at...

What to know about Elon Musk's 'free speech' feud with a Brazilian judge

Apr. 11, 2024 18:14 PM EDT

SAO PAULO (AP) — Headline-grabbing billionaire Elon Musk is clashing with a Supreme Court justice in Brazil over free speech, far-right accounts and misinformation on X, the social media platform Musk bought when it was Twitter. Since his takeover, Musk has upended many of...

Editorial Roundup: Pennsylvania

Apr. 10, 2024 07:15 AM EDT

Altoona Mirror. April 6, 2024. Editorial: For mandated reporters, there is no gray area Last weekend’s front-page Mirror article “No gray area for mandated reporters” should have been a must-read for everyone, since virtually everyone has indirect or direct...

Conservative hoaxers to pay up to $1.25M under agreement with New York over 2020 robocall scheme

Apr. 09, 2024 13:26 PM EDT

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Two conservative political operatives who orchestrated a robocall campaign to dissuade Black people from voting in the 2020 election have agreed to pay up to $1.25 million under a settlement with New York state, Attorney General Letitia James said Tuesday. The...

Latino voters are coveted by both major parties. They also are a target for election misinformation

Apr. 08, 2024 16:35 PM EDT

PHOENIX (AP) — As ranchera music filled the Phoenix recording studio at Radio Campesina, a station personality spoke in Spanish into the microphone. “Friends of Campesina, in these elections, truth and unity are more important than ever,” said morning show host Tony Arias....

Brazil Supreme Court justice orders investigation of Elon Musk over fake news and obstruction

Apr. 08, 2024 15:18 PM EDT

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A crusading Brazilian Supreme Court justice has included Elon Musk as a target in an ongoing investigation over the dissemination of fake news, and has opened a separate investigation into the U.S. business executive for alleged obstruction. In his decision,...