The far-right news site, Gateway Pundit, has drawn a lot of criticism after it used its Facebook page to post fake stories regarding the 2020 U.S. elections claiming that they were stolen from President Donald Trump, an issue that has highlighted the social media giant's struggle with policing misinformation and protecting free speech.
After Gateway Pundit posted a June story on Facebook that included debunked claims of voter fraud in Arizona, a commenter said the governor and secretary of state should be “fed feet first through a woodchipper.” A story featuring false claims of vote-rigging in Fulton County, Georgia, drew comments on Facebook calling for an election worker to be hanged or “shot for treason.”
For years, Facebook has imposed sanctions on Gateway Pundit’s account to limit the spread of its misinformation. But Gateway Pundit still uses its Facebook page to amplify its reporting and raise money: The page features a prominent appeal asking readers to buy subscriptions to support its “battle for survival.”
Gateway Pundit’s continuing presence on Facebook illustrates the platform’s worldwide struggle to stop the spread of disinformation and to balance content-policing with free-speech concerns. Facebook has taken a barrage of criticism this year from critics and a company whistleblower who say its practices stoke anger and division to increase user engagement.
In a statement to Reuters, Facebook said it seeks to label misinformation and “reduce its spread.” The...
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