RMIT permanently shuts down DISGRACED fact-checking unit
University finally closes its fact-checking operation following scrutiny over its practices and Meta’s policy changes.
RMIT University has permanently shut down its fact-checking division, RMIT Lookout, after facing criticism over radical left-wing political bias and a shift in Meta’s fact-checking approach.
The university confirmed the closure its involvement in policing social media content.
In 2023, RMIT's substantial funding from Meta, funnelled through an Irish subsidiary, to run its fact-checking program was exposed after the confidential third-party agreement came to light during Rebel News reporter Avi Yemini's defamation case against RMIT FactLab over a false fact-check on one of his reports.
Scrutiny continued to grow as critics noted that the initiative disproportionately targeted conservative viewpoints. It was also revealed that some fact-checkers within the unit were publicly advocating for social issues they were assigned to assess, including the failed Voice to Parliament referendum.
Following these revelations, Meta suspended RMIT’s fact-checking unit amid concerns that its actions could be seen as election interference. The ABC also distanced itself from the program, ending its partnership in the aftermath of the Voice referendum.
Breaking: RMIT Fact-Check (rebranded RMIT Lookout) has shut down its fact-checking operations completely. The closure follows accusations of politically motivated fact-checking and undisclosed funding from META.
— Rukshan Fernando (@therealrukshan) February 9, 2025
Page related to it's fact-checking are being removed from the… pic.twitter.com/F0fPaEpB1Y
An RMIT spokesperson confirmed the decision to terminate the unit, stating the university would now prioritise its main academic functions.
“RMIT University has made the decision to end its third-party fact checking activities in order to focus on our core activities of research and education,” the spokesperson said.
“As a result, RMIT’s fact-checking partnership with Meta concluded at the end of its term on 31 January 2025.”
Despite having not published any fact-checks since 2023, RMIT had recently attempted to rebrand its FactLab unit as RMIT Lookout.
The closure follows Meta’s shift in policy regarding misinformation, particularly after Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged that the company’s previous approach had been politically skewed and led to excessive censorship.
Don’t stop at ‘RMIT Lookout’ - shut down the whole institution … another publicly funded hotbed of Marxism. Where’s the lunatics calling for some kind of reparation now, and what consequences will they face? I think we know the answer. pic.twitter.com/RFXHDeew4G
— StraightTalk (@StraightTalkYep) February 9, 2025
Meta is now moving towards a ‘community notes’ model similar to X (formerly Twitter) to allow user contributions rather than centralised fact-checking. This model is being introduced in the U.S. with Meta reviewing how it will adapt in other countries.
While RMIT has shut down its fact-checking operations, the university maintains that it will continue promoting ‘media literacy’ through its educational programs.
“The university remains committed to upholding the integrity of public information and will continue to help build media literacy and capability through a range of learning, teaching and research activities,” the spokesperson said.
“This includes our current media and communication education offerings, ARC-funded research and other learning and teaching initiatives designed to help slow the spread of misinformation and disinformation.”
COMMENTS
-
Bruce Atchison commented 2025-02-10 21:52:42 -0500Defund all leftist universities! They’re propaganda institutions brainwashing young adults to be good little commies. Is that what education is about?
