Meta returns to its roots: fact checking is abolished!

Meta returns to its roots: fact checking is abolished!

Tech giant Meta, parent company of Facebook, is undergoing a transformation that will fundamentally change the way content is moderated. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Tuesday that the company is eliminating its third-party fact-checking program in the U.S., which has been in place since 2016. This radical decision not only affects the platforms Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, but could also have long-term effects on the way users rate and distribute content. Instead of external checks, a new system called “Community Notes” will be introduced in the future, which offers users the opportunity to add their own contexts to posts, similar to what is already the case with Platform X (formerly Twitter). This move is a direct response to the poor results of the previous program, which, according to Zuckerberg, caused more problems than it solved by degrading the user experience and crushing freedom of expression.

A step towards freedom of expression

Zuckerberg emphasizes that Meta is focused on returning to its roots to promote free expression, which includes opposing various government actions that seek to censor American companies. In this context, he stated that Meta will work with President Trump to take action against “more and more laws that have institutionalized censorship.” This censorship is an issue that has been raised since Trump's original presidency, particularly after his suspension of Facebook and Instagram related to the Capitol riots in 2021, which was lifted in 2023. Trump has called Facebook an "enemy of the people" in the past, which has heightened tensions between his administration and the platform, MarketWatch reports.

The changes also suggest a realignment of content policies, with Meta planning to remove numerous restrictions on topics such as immigration and gender identity that are deemed outdated. Additionally, content monitoring is simplified by focusing on serious and illegal violations rather than scanning for all possible violations. However, Zuckerberg warns that it remains important to strike a balance between free speech and protecting against misinformation. The upcoming changes could not only impact Meta's credibility, but also encourage users to be more active in shaping their alternating content, while at the same time the discussion about the responsibility of social media in today's society intensifies.