Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, recently said it was removing “fact-checking” from its platforms.
“We’re going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies and restoring free expression on our platforms,” said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
These “fact-checkers” have long been partisans. One of the most-notable “fact-checkers” utilized by Meta was PolitiFact, which has routinely gotten it wrong when it comes to the constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
During last year’s presidential race, President Donald Trump (R) said Kamala Harris “supports mandatory gun confiscation.” PolitiFact rated this statement as “mostly false.” NRA supporters know, however, that Harris’ argued for a ban on popular semi-automatic rifles, which are lawfully owned by more than 20 million Americans. She also supported a “mandatory buy-back” scheme for so-called “assault weapons,” which is simply a euphemism for confiscating those firearms.
“Trump is correct. Harris has repeatedly supported prohibiting and confiscating commonly owned semi-automatic firearms, including America’s most popular rifle—the AR-15,” reported the NRA Institute for Legislative Action.
In 2021, PolitiFact also rated the claim that then-President Joe Biden wanted to ban 9 mm pistols as “false.” The thing is, Biden actually said on the campaign trail, “Why should we allow people to have military-style weapons including pistols with 9 mm bullets and can hold 10 or more rounds?”
PolitiFact acknowledged Biden said that, but still ruled it “false” because it noted Biden wanted to ban “high-capacity” magazines, which Biden defines as those that can hold 10 or more rounds, not necessarily 9 mm pistols.
“Talk about a distinction without a difference. Most pistols sold today, whether chambered in 9 mm or for another cartridge, come standard with magazines that hold 10 or more rounds. Also, many of the pistols that don’t come with magazines that can take 10 or more rounds can accept magazines that do hold 10 or more rounds. So, Biden’s ban would ban the vast majority of today’s pistols,” wrote America’s 1st Freedom Editor in Chief Frank Miniter at the time.
Biden would later say from the White House: “A 9 mm bullet blows the lung out of the body. So, the idea of these high-caliber weapons is of—there’s simply no rational basis for it in terms of thinking about self-protection, hunting.”
There was no update from PolitiFact on Biden’s later remarks.
These are but a few examples in a long line of anti-Second Amendment “fact-checks.” While these “fact checkers” may not have always been wrong, too often, they weren’t right. That Meta has chosen to end its association with PolitiFact and other “fact-checkers” is a win for freedom.
