Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, may significantly cut payments to its professional fact-checking partners in India. According to the company has reduced fees for the next six months by roughly one-third to as much as 50%.
This move, linked to changes in Meta’s global fact-checking policy, could create serious challenges for smaller fact-checking organisations in India, many of which rely heavily on the company’s financial support.
Payment Reduction Up to 50%
The report states that over the next half-year, Indian fact-checking partners could see their payouts fall by 33% to 50%. For several organisations, Meta funding is the primary source of income. As a result, they may have to reduce staff strength or carry out layoffs to manage expenses.
Decision Following US Policy Changes
Meta’s decision in India follows policy developments in the United States. After the election of US President Donald Trump, the company ended its fact-checking partnerships there. Later, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook and Instagram would adopt a “Community Notes” system.
Under this model, users with different viewpoints collectively add context to posts. A note appears only when multiple contributors agree that additional information is necessary.
Meta first introduced professional fact-checking partners in December 2016, when global concerns about misinformation on social media were increasing. Over time, many organisations around the world began operating as fact-checkers and became dependent on Meta’s funding.
Questions Over Global Expansion
Meta has indicated that it plans to expand the Community Notes feature to other countries. However, it has not clarified whether this expansion will also end professional fact-checking partnerships outside the United States.
In January 2025, the International Fact-Checking Network wrote to Zuckerberg warning that shutting down such programmes could affect politically and socially sensitive regions. The group said that reducing professional fact-checking worldwide could increase the risk of misinformation-driven unrest, election interference, mob violence, and instability in certain areas.
Reports also suggest growing concern among Indian fact-checking organisations after the programme ended in the US. Many groups depend on Meta’s funding, and losing it could force them to shut down operations. They also rely on Facebook and Instagram for visibility, as both platforms generate a significant portion of traffic to their websites.