Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced this Tuesday that the company will end its long-running fact-checking programme, replacing it with “community notes similar to X”, marking a significant shift in how the social media giant approaches content moderation.
Starting in the United States, the change comes in the wake of Donald Trump's recent election victory and represents what Zuckerberg called a "cultural tipping point towards, once again, prioritising speech" on Meta's platforms.
The move effectively dismantles a system that has been in place since 2016, which relied on partnerships with over 90 independent fact-checking organisations working across more than 60 languages. In the United States, this has included groups such as PolitiFact and Factcheck.org. Under the new approach, users will be able to add context to potentially misleading posts instead, similar to X's Community Notes feature.
In his video announcement, Zuckerberg criticised the existing fact-checking system, stating that fact-checkers have been "too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they've created." The change reflects a broader overhaul of Meta's content moderation practices, including the relocation of its trust and safety teams from California to Texas.
The announcement follows several recent shifts at Meta that suggest a changing relationship with the incoming Trump administration. The company recently appointed Republican Joel Kaplan to lead its policy team, replacing former UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg as president of global affairs. In December, Meta also made a $1 million donation to Trump's inaugural fund.
Beyond fact-checking, Meta plans to simplify its content policies and remove certain restrictions on topics such as immigration and gender. The company will also adjust its content filters to require "higher confidence" before removing posts, though Zuckerberg acknowledged this means they will "catch less bad stuff."
The changes represent a significant departure from Meta's previous approach to content moderation, which had been strengthened in response to concerns about misinformation following the 2016 election. Under the new system, while Meta will continue to moderate content related to illegal activities and what Zuckerberg termed "high severity violations," the company will rely more heavily on user reports for other violations.
Zuckerberg also indicated that Meta would work with the incoming Trump administration to resist what he described as censorship pressures from other governments, particularly criticising European regulations that he said "make it difficult to build anything innovative."
The announcement has sparked debate about the future of content moderation on social media platforms, which collectively reach billions of users worldwide. Meta's platforms alone, including Facebook and Instagram, serve over 3 billion users globally, making this shift in policy potentially one of the most significant changes to online content moderation in recent years.
OpenAI plans to restructure as a public benefit corporation, aiming to attract major investments while balancing AI innovation, social good, and shareholder interests.
Google and Facebook-owner Meta Platforms urged the Australian government on Tuesday to delay a bill that will ban most forms of social media for children under 16, saying more time was needed to assess its potential impact.
Meta has laid off staff across Instagram, WhatsApp, and Reality Labs to align with long-term goals.
Mark Zuckerberg has surpassed Jeff Bezos as the world's second richest person, with a net worth of $206.2 billion.
Six wildfires tearing through Los Angeles have destroyed over 1,100 buildings, claimed at least five lives, and displaced countless residents, including several prominent Hollywood figures.
Greece bade farewell to former Prime Minister Costas Simitis, a reformist leader who steered the country into the eurozone in 2001. Celebrated for his modernisation efforts, his legacy is also marked by controversy over policies linked to Greece’s later debt crisis.
The Armenian government has approved a bill to kickstart the country's bid for European Union membership, with the final decision to be made through a national referendum.
Belgium is experiencing cold weather and snowfall, causing travel disruptions and slippery roads across the country.
Manchester Airport has reopened after heavy snowfall caused earlier disruptions, with some delays and cancellations still affecting flights.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has highlighted the importance of improved coordination between military and civilian services following the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash near Aktau, Kazakhstan, which resulted in 38 fatalities.
A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Tibet's Himalayan foothills, killing at least 100 and shaking Nepal, Bhutan, and India. Tremors reached as far as Kathmandu and Thimphu.
Greece bade farewell to former Prime Minister Costas Simitis, a reformist leader who steered the country into the eurozone in 2001. Celebrated for his modernisation efforts, his legacy is also marked by controversy over policies linked to Greece’s later debt crisis.
The Armenian government has approved a bill to kickstart the country's bid for European Union membership, with the final decision to be made through a national referendum.
Belgium is experiencing cold weather and snowfall, causing travel disruptions and slippery roads across the country.
Manchester Airport has reopened after heavy snowfall caused earlier disruptions, with some delays and cancellations still affecting flights.
Lebanon's parliament has elected Army Commander General Joseph Aoun as president, ending a vacancy that has lasted since 2022. Aoun's victory follows a second round of voting after initial setbacks.
Six wildfires tearing through Los Angeles have destroyed over 1,100 buildings, claimed at least five lives, and displaced countless residents, including several prominent Hollywood figures.
Greece bade farewell to former Prime Minister Costas Simitis, a reformist leader who steered the country into the eurozone in 2001. Celebrated for his modernisation efforts, his legacy is also marked by controversy over policies linked to Greece’s later debt crisis.
The Armenian government has approved a bill to kickstart the country's bid for European Union membership, with the final decision to be made through a national referendum.
Belgium is experiencing cold weather and snowfall, causing travel disruptions and slippery roads across the country.
Manchester Airport has reopened after heavy snowfall caused earlier disruptions, with some delays and cancellations still affecting flights.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment