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Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced on Tuesday that it will discontinue its third-party fact-checking program and implement a Community Notes system. This new initiative mirrors the approach used by Elon Musk’s platform, X (formerly Twitter), where users collaboratively contribute to fact-checking content.
Initially launching in the U.S., Meta plans to phase out its partnerships with independent fact-checkers, citing concerns about bias and the excessive volume of content flagged for fact-checking. Instead, the platform will transition to a user-driven model, allowing the community to provide context to posts flagged as potentially misleading.
Joel Kaplan, Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, explained the decision in a blog post: “We’ve observed the success of this model on X, where the community is empowered to add context to potentially misleading posts.”
Previously, organizations like the Associated Press participated in Meta’s fact-checking program but ceased their involvement a year ago.
In addition to this shift, Meta is loosening restrictions on certain types of content to prioritize free expression. The company plans to focus enforcement efforts on severe violations, including terrorism, child exploitation, and drug-related content, rather than on topics that are part of mainstream discussions. Meta acknowledged that its previous content moderation systems were overly complex and often led to unnecessary censorship.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg linked these changes to broader cultural and political shifts, citing events such as Donald Trump’s presidential election victory. “Recent elections have signaled a tipping point toward prioritizing free speech again,” Zuckerberg shared in a video statement.
Meta’s Oversight Board, established to review contentious content moderation decisions, welcomed the move. The board expressed its intent to work with the company to ensure the new approach balances effectiveness with freedom of expression.
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