Group slams Facebook and fact-checker, threatens lawsuit over ‘false’ rating of abortion claim
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The anti-abortion group Live Action is considering its legal options after one of the group's key statements was labeled “false” by a fact-checking organization that works with Facebook.
Live Action President Lila Rose told Fox News that a statement in two videos posted by her group that abortion is not medically necessary was rated false. After content has been flagged as false, it can be subject to reduced distribution on Facebook.
One video, titled “The Pro-Life Reply to ‘Abortion Can Be Medically Necessary’,” features neonatologist Dr. Kendra Kolb. The second video, titled "Abortion is NEVER Medically Necessary," features a speech given by Rose.
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“We see it as potentially the most devastating thing a tech company has done against a pro-life message,” Rose said. “Facebook is effectively taking a position in this debate as to whether abortion is medically necessary.”
Live Action also slammed Science Feedback, the fact-checking organization involved in the response to the two videos. Science Feedback describes itself as "a worldwide network of scientists sorting fact from fiction in science-based media coverage."
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Rose told Fox News that Live Action contacted Facebook representatives and was told to take up its concerns with the fact-checkers.
Rose explained to Fox News that Facebook is the organization’s biggest platform. Some 2.4 million people have "liked" Live Action’s Facebook page and, combined, Live Action and Lila Rose reach more than 3 million users on Facebook.
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Live Action told Fox News that it is considering legal options over the row.
Fox News reached out to Facebook and Science Feedback with a request for comment on this story.
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Fox News' James Rogers and Christopher Carbone contributed to this report.