I think it's fine for Facebook to opt out of fact-checking, as long as they also opt out of algorithmic syndication of content.
If my feed is going to have posts shared by others (even non-friends) or, worse, op-eds in it, then FB is vouching for whatever I see. If they share a link with 50 million people, they're certainly responsible for the consequences.
Worse is the ad side, where Facebook wants to continue to profit from well-funded wars against science while still claiming to be neutral.
If you get paid to broadcast a message and then broadcast it, you are not neutral.
If my feed is going to have posts shared by others (even non-friends) or, worse, op-eds in it, then FB is vouching for whatever I see. If they share a link with 50 million people, they're certainly responsible for the consequences.
Worse is the ad side, where Facebook wants to continue to profit from well-funded wars against science while still claiming to be neutral.
If you get paid to broadcast a message and then broadcast it, you are not neutral.