Meta replaces fact-checking program with X-like 'Community Notes' system
What's the story
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced major changes to its moderation policies.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that the firm will be discontinuing its fact-checking program with trusted partners, in favor of a community-driven system.
The new approach, much like X's Community Notes, is part of Meta's plan to simplify policies and enhance free expression on its platforms.
New direction
Shift toward user-led content moderation
Zuckerberg said that the recent election had a major impact on Meta's decision to alter its moderation policies.
He slammed "governments and legacy media" for reportedly calling for more censorship.
The CEO admitted that the complicated systems Meta had built for content moderation were error-prone, highlighting a need for change.
Policy refinement
Continued commitment to content moderation
Despite the policy changes, Zuckerberg assured that Meta will continue to aggressively moderate content pertaining to drugs, terrorism, and child exploitation.
He also revealed plans to eliminate some content policies around sensitive issues like immigration and gender.
The focus will now be on "high severity violations," with users being relied upon to report other violations.
Worrying
LGBTQ people can now be called mentally ill
Meta now permits its social media users to accuse people of being mentally ill, based on their gender identity or sexuality.
Though the new guidelines forbid insults about someone's intellect/mental illness on Facebook, Instagram and Threads, there's now a caveat for accusing LGBTQ individuals of being mentally ill since they are gay or transgender.
LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD has denounced the changes.
Team move
Meta's trust and safety team relocates
Along with policy changes, Meta is also shifting its trust, safety and content moderation team from California to Texas.
Zuckerberg said content filters will be changed to require much higher confidence before taking down content.
This move is aimed at lowering the number of innocent people's posts and accounts that get accidentally taken down.
Program history
Meta's fact-checking program: A look back
Meta's first-ever fact-checking system, introduced on Facebook in 2016, depended on third-party fact-checkers who were certified by the International Fact-Checking Network and the European Fact-Checking Standards Network.
The program featured more than 90 organizations that would fact-check posts in over 60 languages.
In the US, the program included groups such as PolitiFact and Factcheck.org.