In the midst of the LA wildfires, former CNN reporters grumbled to fact-checkers, “It’s like tearing down your fire department.”

As wildfires continue to rage in Los Angeles County, some media outlets and fact-checking organizations are fighting “wildfire” conspiracy theories, comparing fact-checkers to first responders.

On Monday, CNN criticized Meta’s decision to eliminate its third-party fact-checking system for “misinformation” in the firestorm.

Title, title “When they’re out of a job, meta-reality checkers will be fighting wildfire conspiracy theories,” said a journalist, comparing data controllers to fire departments.

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“Rumours and speculation about the crash began to swirl like wildfire online, before finally becoming a wildfire of widespread conspiracy theories,” the post read.

“Cutting fact-checkers from social platforms is like dismantling your fire department,” added Alan Duke, a former CNN journalist who co-founded the Meta-funded fact-checking firm.

Other sites have used similar language, equating fact-checkers with firefighters as news of the Los Angeles fire escalates.

Hours before the wildfire broke out on January 7, Full Reality CEO Chris MorrisHis company, which is affiliated with Facebook, used the term “first responders” to describe its frustration.

Some fact-checkers and media analysts liken conspiracy theories to “wildfires” and “first responders.” (Jay C. Hong/AP)

“From securing elections to protecting public health to dispersing potential unrest on the streets, information seekers are the first responders,” the statement said. “Our specialists are trained to work in a way that promotes credible evidence and prioritizes the fight against harmful information – we believe that the public has a right to our knowledge.”

Sunday Forbes report He condemned Meta’s decision as an “ominous sign”, comparing the rise of conspiracy theories to “wild fire”.

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“It’s not just a corporate decision — it’s part of a societal crisis,” says the Forbes article. “At a time when conspiracy theories are spreading like wildfire and trust in institutions is at an all-time low, one of the most powerful companies on the planet is shirking its responsibility to fight misinformation.”

A former CNN reporter said that getting rid of fact-checkers is like disbanding the fire department. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

In a video posted on Facebook on January 7, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained the company’s content moderation practices in 2018. “It’s come a long way,” he said, since its inception in 2016.

“We’re going back to our roots and focusing on reducing errors, simplifying our policies and restoring freedom of thought on our platforms,” ​​Zuckerberg said. “Specifically, we’ll get rid of fact-checkers and replace them with social notes like X, starting with America.”

Although Zuckerberg said the decision was to promote “freedom of expression” online, many liberal commentators called the idea of ​​eliminating fact-checkers “incredibly dangerous.”

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