Against the background of a global increase in the volume of misinformation and increasing pressure on digital platforms, Telegram has launched a new feature aimed at verifying the authenticity of published content. Messenger users first noticed the "Fact Check" tag under a message in one of the channels — this event was a landmark moment in the development of the platform.
The first case of using the function is recorded in the We TON channel. The report claimed that Telegram is allegedly leaving the Russian market. The source of this information was a satirical website known for fictional and ironic publications, which immediately raised doubts about its authenticity.
Below the publication, a built-in block from Telegram appeared, in which an official correction was posted: the statement indicates that the founder of the platform Pavel Durov did not make such statements. This comment did not belong to the channel administrators, but was added directly by the Telegram system, which gives the new tool a level of institutional verification.
The "Fact Check" feature was not publicly announced at the time of launch, but earlier it was reported that a system was being developed that would allow the messenger to deal with fake news. The use of such a mechanism confirms the transition of Telegram to a more active participation in quality control of content distributed on the platform.
Against the background of increasing regulation of digital platforms in different jurisdictions, this step can be considered as a preventive measure and a signal that Telegram is ready to integrate tools aimed at improving the reliability of information. The systematic implementation of fact-checking can potentially change the perception of the platform, which was previously often criticized for the lack of moderation and insufficient control over the spread of fakes.
In the near future, it will become clear how large-scale and universal the new system will be, as well as what criteria Telegram uses to select messages to be checked.
