Meta's latest changes, touted as a return to prioritizing free expression, will alter how information is verified on its platforms, emphasizing community involvement over independent oversight.
Meta Reverses Course: Ditches Third-Party Fact-Checking for Community-Led Moderation
Meta Reverses Course: Ditches Third-Party Fact-Checking for Community-Led Moderation
In a significant shift, Meta announces it will phase out third-party fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram, embracing a user-driven moderation model similar to X's "community notes."
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is making headlines by ending its reliance on third-party fact-checkers in the United States. Instead, it will roll out a user-led moderation system akin to the "community notes" feature seen on competitor X (formerly Twitter). In a video shared with a corporate blog post, CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed a desire to enhance free expression on the platform, suggesting that the prior methods of content evaluation had overstepped their bounds.
Joel Kaplan, Meta's incoming head of global affairs, articulated a belief that the company's past reliance on independent moderators was well-meaning but resulted in excessive censorship. He emphasized the need to allow more leeway for discussions that might involve harmless content, which he argued was being unfairly restricted. "Too much harmless content gets censored," Kaplan stated, arguing for a shift back toward enabling free speech.
The transition to community-led notes will be gradual over the next few months, with the company claiming success in similar implementations on X. The new system will empower users with diverse perspectives to collaboratively assess and annotate posts, helping to clarify or provide contextual information for contentious topics.
Additionally, Meta announced plans to eliminate certain restrictions that have curtailed debates on critical subjects, including immigration and gender identity. The firm stated that it is unacceptable for content permissible in mainstream media and political arenas to be restricted on its platforms.
This policy shift arrives amid heightened scrutiny of social media companies as they prepare for President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20th. Trump's previous criticisms of Meta as an "enemy of the people" seem to have softened post-election, with reports of a more cordial relationship emerging, including Zuckerberg's visit to Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in November. Meta even made a $1 million contribution to Trump's inauguration fund.
Zuckerberg's comments in his video pointed to a broader cultural shift towards valuing free speech, which he sees as reflected in the recent elections. The leadership change, with Kaplan stepping into a prominent role after former UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg's departure, has fueled speculation about a transformative era of content moderation at Meta, aligned with changing political landscapes.
