Facebook is transparent with news publishers when their content is fact-checked, and we have an appeals process in place for publishers who wish to issue a correction or dispute a rating with a fact-checker. Below, find answers to news publishers’ frequently asked questions. More information can be found in our Help Center at fb.me/publisher-fact-checking.
Our third-party fact-checking program includes more than 80 organizations working in more than 60 languages globally to help us fight viral misinformation across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. All go through a rigorous certification process with the non-partisan International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) and follow IFCN’s Code of Principles.
Will I receive an alert if my content has been fact-checked?
Yes. We believe it’s important for the fact-checking process to be transparent, so Page admins will receive a notification if a fact-checker rates their content as False, Altered, Partly False or Missing Context. If you are a Page admin, you can also access the Page Quality Tab to see recent fact-checks including the date, rating, and fact-check article.
If my content is fact-checked, what actions does Facebook take?
When content is rated False or Altered by fact-checkers, we dramatically reduce its distribution and apply our strongest warning labels. Content rated Partly False includes some factual inaccuracies. As a result, we reduce the distribution of this content, but to a lesser degree than False or Altered. For content that's Missing Context, we'll focus on surfacing more information from our fact-checking partners.
When someone tries to share a post that’s been rated by a fact-checker, we’ll show them a pop-up notice so people can decide for themselves what to read, trust, and share. And if someone has shared a story that is later determined by fact-checkers to be false, we notify them that there is additional reporting on that piece of content.
If my content is fact-checked, will it be removed from Facebook as a result?
Generally, no. We take action against misinformation by reducing its spread so that fewer people see it, and surface more reliable information to people. We notify publishers when their content has been fact-checked, and anyone can appeal a fact-checker’s rating by emailing them directly. (More on this below.)
We do remove content from Facebook when it violates our Community Standards, which is separate from our fact-checking program.
How can I issue a correction or dispute a rating?
If you’re a Page manager or group admin, you can appeal a misinformation violation about content the Page or group shared if you corrected the content or if you think a fact check got something wrong. You can only appeal a violation once.
Appeals are generally processed within 3 business days. You can visit your Page Quality or Group Quality to see the current status of your Page or group. There, you can see if any fact checks are applied to your content and if any penalties have been applied to your Page or group.
If you are a Page or group admin using a device, you can dispute a fact-checking decision or issue a correction in the Facebook app. Publishers using the web may appeal fact-checks via email by following the guidance in our help center. Find out more here.
- Please do not delete the original post, as this will make it impossible for the fact-checker to process your correction.
- Publishers must submit their correction or dispute within 7 days of receiving a rating notification. Fact-checkers are asked to initially acknowledge appeals within one business day of receiving the appeal.
- We have published recommended email templates for publishers to use when they send in a correction or dispute.
- Make sure you include all relevant information in your appeal. Fact checkers may experience delays or be unable to process your appeal without that information.
- Visit this page to find email addresses to contact third-party fact-checkers in our program. They’re listed by country under “Publisher Support.”
- If your content is rated by multiple organizations, you may need to contact each fact-checker.
How does Facebook enforce on content that receives multiple, different ratings?
When multiple fact-checkers rate the same piece of content, we’ll generally surface all of the fact-checkers’ articles that have been submitted to provide as much additional information as possible to our community.
We’ll take action on the content using the rating with the least severe penalties. For example, if content is rated both False and Partly False, we'll show the Partly False label. Visit this page to learn more about our enforcement of fact-checkers’ ratings.
What happens if my content is consistently rated false by fact-checkers?
We take action against Pages and domains that repeatedly share or publish content that is rated False or Altered. Such Pages and domains will see their distribution reduced, will lose their ability to monetize and advertise, and will lose their ability to register as a news Page on Facebook. Over time, Pages and domains can restore their distribution and ability to monetize and advertise if they stop sharing misinformation. Read more about how Facebook takes action on misinformation in groups, Instagram and individual accounts.
For more information about how fact-checkers work with Facebook to reduce the spread of viral misinformation, visit FB.me/Third-Party-Fact-Checking.
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