In a significant policy shift, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced its decision to discontinue its fact-checking program and relax speech restrictions across its platforms.
The move is aimed at "restoring free expression," a fundamental principle that the company admits has been excessively curtailed by its current content moderation practices.
"More specifically, were going to get rid of fact-checkers and replace them with Community Notes similar to X, starting in the U.S," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg declared in a video message, as reported by Fox News. This announcement marks a return to the company's original ethos, with a renewed focus on reducing errors, simplifying policies, and promoting free expression.
Joel Kaplan, Meta's chief global affairs officer, provided further insights into the company's decision during an exclusive interview on Fox News Channels "Fox & Friends." Kaplan explained that the third-party fact-checking program, introduced following the 2016 election, was initially designed to manage content and misinformation on Meta's platforms. However, the company now acknowledges that the system has overstepped its bounds.
"It has become clear there is too much political bias in what they choose to fact-check because, basically, they get to fact-check whatever they see on the platform," Kaplan stated. He further revealed that Meta plans to replace the fact-checking program with a "Community Notes" model, which relies on platform users to provide commentary on content.
In addition to these changes, Meta is also revising its content moderation rules, particularly those deemed "too restrictive and not allowing enough discourse around sensitive topics like immigration, trans issues, and gender." Kaplan emphasized the company's commitment to fostering open discourse without the fear of censorship.
However, Kaplan assured that Meta will continue to moderate content related to terrorism, illegal drugs, and child sexual exploitation. He also expressed optimism about the incoming Trump administration, which he believes will support free expression and resist pressuring companies into censorship.
In the same vein, Meta is looking forward to partnering with the Trump administration on issues of free expression and promoting American business and technological advancement. The company also plans to personalize political content based on user preferences and refocus its enforcement efforts on "illegal and high-severity violations."
Login