Meta Follows X; Introduces Community-Driven Fact Check Guidelines - Details

Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg unveiled sweeping changes to the company's policies on moderating content, a move that indicates a significant shift toward prioritizing free speech. The new policies will affect Meta, which includes Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, as well as mark an even broader movement to reassess content moderation practices in the tech industry.

Meta will phase out its partnership-based fact-checking program and introduce a community-driven system modeled after X's Community Notes. 

"We're going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies and restoring free expression on our platforms," Zuckerberg posted in a video on Meta. "More specifically, here's what we're going to do. First, we're going to get rid of fact checkers and replace them with community notes similar to X, starting in the U.S."

Community Notes: Fact-Checking Vs Trusted Partners

Meta plans to restore political and civic content in user feeds, reversing its previous policy of limiting such posts. “For a while, the community asked to see less politics because it was making people stressed,” Zuckerberg explained. “But it feels like we’re in a new era now, and people want to see this content again.”

Zuckerberg said that Meta would also move its automated moderation systems away from focusing on all violations to severe ones like drugs, terrorism, and child exploitation. "We built a lot of complex systems to moderate content, but they make mistakes," he said, adding that the company would fine-tune filters to minimize accidental takedowns.

In a significant move, Meta will shift its trust and safety teams from California to Texas, indicating a change in operational strategy. This change is expected to bring content moderation practices closer to regional needs and user feedback.
 

Meta Administration: Content Moderation

Zuckerberg said he planned to collaborate with the incoming Trump administration to push back against efforts at global censorship. "The only way we can push back on this global trend is with the support of the U.S. government," he said, emphasizing the need to resist the international pressure on American companies.

Meta's move comes at a time when social media platforms are facing growing criticism for political bias and overreach in content moderation. The company's earlier fact-checking system, launched in 2016, had been criticized for perceived favoritism and inefficiency. With the community-driven approach, Meta is trying to address these criticisms while creating a more open environment for discourse.

Community Notes on X: Insights

Meta's adoption of a community-driven moderation system takes inspiration from X's Community Notes. The system, praised for its transparency, allows users to contribute fact-checking information, blending accuracy with a mix of user-driven input. Zuckerberg's admiration for Elon Musk 's changes at X underscores the evolving moderation landscape in the tech industry.

These changes are a significant departure from the earlier moderation policies of Meta, which were based on free speech and user-driven systems. Although these changes reduce errors and foster open dialogue, they also raise questions about the effectiveness of community-driven moderation in curbing misinformation and harmful content.