Meta is phasing out the use of independent fact-checkers on Facebook and Instagram, opting instead for X-style “community notes” where users comment on post accuracy.
The company released a video and a blog post on Tuesday, in which CEO Mark Zuckerberg criticized third-party moderators as “too politically biased” and declared it was “time to get back to our roots around free expression.”
This shift comes as Zuckerberg and other tech leaders aim to mend ties with US President-elect Donald Trump before his upcoming inauguration.
Meta has faced criticism from Trump and his Republican supporters, who argue that the platform’s fact-checking policies amount to censorship of conservative viewpoints.
Following the announcement, Trump expressed his approval at a news conference, noting that Meta had made significant progress.
When asked if the changes were a direct response to previous threats from Trump, the President-elect responded, “Probably.”
Joel Kaplan, a key Republican figure set to replace Sir Nick Clegg as Meta’s head of global affairs, stated that while the company’s use of independent moderators was well-meaning, it often resulted in censorship.
Online hate speech activists have sharply criticized the move, suggesting it aims to curry favor with the incoming Trump administration.
Ava Lee from Global Witness, a campaign group dedicated to holding big tech accountable, stated, “Zuckerberg’s announcement is a blatant attempt to cozy up to the incoming Trump administration—with harmful implications.”
“Claiming to avoid ‘censorship’ is a political move to dodge responsibility for the hate and disinformation that platforms encourage and facilitate,” she added.
Meta’s existing fact-checking program, launched in 2016, sends questionable posts to independent bodies for truthfulness evaluation.
Posts identified as misleading could receive labels offering additional information and be demoted in user feeds.
This system will initially be replaced by community notes in the US.
Meta has announced no immediate plans to eliminate third-party fact-checkers in the UK or EU.
The community notes model, copied from X after its acquisition by Elon Musk, allows users with varying opinions to collaborate on notes that provide context to contentious posts.
Meta’s adoption of this model was praised by Musk, who described it as “cool.”
Despite concerns about content promoting self-harm or depression, Meta reassured that its approach to such issues would remain unchanged.
The fact-checking organization Full Fact has defended its integrity, refuting allegations of bias, and criticized Meta’s decision as a regressive step with global repercussions.
Fact checkers often see themselves as the internet’s emergency services, but Meta believes they have been overly interventionist.
Joel Kaplan noted that excessive censorship had led to too many unjust “Facebook jail” sentences and slow corrective actions.
Acknowledging potential risks, Zuckerberg admitted in his video that the changes would involve trade-offs.
He explained that while detection of harmful content might decrease, the number of wrongful takedowns of posts and accounts would also be reduced.
This new approach is at odds with stricter regulations in the UK and Europe, where tech companies are compelled to take greater responsibility for their content. For now, Meta’s policy shift is limited to the US.
Meta’s blog post also promised to reverse the “mission creep” in its rules and policies.
Zuckerberg highlighted the inconsistency between what can be said on TV or in Congress and what is permissible on Meta’s platforms.
As tech companies prepare for Trump’s January 20th inauguration, several CEOs have publicly supported his return to office.
Some have even visited Trump at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, to discuss these matters, including Zuckerberg in November. Meta also contributed $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund.
Zuckerberg described the recent elections as a cultural shift towards once again prioritizing free speech.
Meta informed Trump’s team about the policy changes before the public announcement, as reported by the New York Times.
The appointment of Dana White, a staunch Trump supporter and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, to Meta’s board further signals a shift in the company’s moderation stance and political alignment.
