The National Rifle Association (NRA) has accused Meta of "election interference" after the tech giant fact-checked social media posts that criticized Vice President Kamala Harris' gun control stance.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has come under fire from the National Rifle Association (NRA) for fact-checking social media posts that criticized Vice President Kamala Harris' gun control stance.
The NRA accused Meta of "election interference" after the tech giant slapped "false information" labels on posts that claimed Harris wanted to "seize legally owned guns" and "weaponize the government to enter your home and seize your legally owned gun."
NRA Accuses Meta of Election Interference after Fact-Checking Posts Criticizing Kamala Harris' Gun Control Stance
Meta told users that the posts contained "false information" and linked to articles from FactCheck.org, a website that works with Facebook to debunk misinformation.
FactCheck.org claimed that Harris supports a mandatory buyback program for assault weapons but no longer advocates for confiscating legally purchased guns. The article cited Harris' comments during the presidential debate when she said, "We’re not taking anybody’s guns away."
NRA Accuses Meta of Election Interference after Fact-Checking Posts Criticizing Kamala Harris' Gun Control Stance
Another NRA post that accused Harris of wanting to ban all guns was also hit with a "missing context" disclaimer. The post featured a video of Harris' combative exchange about universal background checks from her sit-down with reporters from the National Association of Black Journalists.
The NRA argued that Meta's fact-checking efforts "exploit Meta’s rules to throttle key messaging from groups like the NRA" and "come uncomfortably close to election interference."
NRA Accuses Meta of Election Interference after Fact-Checking Posts Criticizing Kamala Harris' Gun Control Stance
The group's executive director, Randy Kozuch, said that the NRA's ability to reach key audiences is crucial in the lead-up to the election and that Meta should not allow its platform to be manipulated to silence certain viewpoints.
Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
NRA Accuses Meta of Election Interference after Fact-Checking Posts Criticizing Kamala Harris' Gun Control Stance
The NRA's criticism of Meta highlights the ongoing debate over the role of social media companies in regulating content and preventing the spread of misinformation. Critics have accused Meta of bias and censorship, while the company has defended its efforts to combat misinformation and harmful content.
The incident also raises concerns about the potential impact of social media platforms on the upcoming election. With misinformation and disinformation spreading on both sides of the political spectrum, it is crucial for platforms like Meta to strike a balance between protecting users from harmful content and allowing for open and informed debate.
