Meta Announced They Are Removing Fact Checking to Promote Free Speech - What this really means
Meta’s founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced yesterday (January 7, 2024) that Meta is ending fact checking in the app as we know it.
What did the fact checking on Meta used to be like?
Unlike many people think, Meta fact-checking did NOT happen within a department of Meta. I agree that if employees of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp sat in a room and decided what was free speech and what wasn’t, that would be better to extinct that!
How it really worked so far was through bipartisan, thrid-party independent, IFCN-certified fact-checkers who identify, review and rate viral misinformation across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
In other words, Meta didn’t just decide what should be allowed or not to be said in their platforms themselves.
How will Fact Checking and Content Moderation happen on Meta now?
This has been seen as a clear move to adapt to/please the Trump administration, Meta said they will be adopting a Community Notes system similar to Twitter/X.
Which does not have a good track record of moderating fairly and responsibly.
Mark Zuckerberg explains in the video below he posted on his Instagram Reels.
In the Instagram Reel posted to his account, @zuck, he says:
"We're going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies and restoring free expression on our platforms. More specifically, here's what we're going to do. First, we're going to get rid of fact-checkers and replace them with community notes similar to X, starting in the U.S.
Today head of Instagram, and seemingly good guy, Adam Mosseri, posted him own Reel explaining all the changes…
According to a post on Meta:
“Once the program is up and running, Meta won’t write Community Notes or decide which ones show up. They are written and rated by contributing users.
Just like they do on X, Community Notes will require agreement between people with a range of perspectives to help prevent biased ratings.
We intend to be transparent about how different viewpoints inform the Notes displayed in our apps, and are working on the right way to share this information.
People can sign up today (Facebook, Instagram, Threads) for the opportunity to be among the first contributors to this program as it becomes available”
I signed up for Instagram and Threads. I will keep you posted of any updates!
As NBC notes:
“CEOs and business leaders across sectors are currying favor with the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. Meta, along with other tech companies, donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund, and ahead of the election, Zuckerberg praised Trump in an interview with Bloomberg Television without offering an outright endorsement. Ahead of Trump's inauguration, Meta has reportedly appointed Republican Joel Kaplan to lead its policy team, and Monday, its announced that UFC's Dana White, a longtime supporter of Trump’s, would join its board.”
Get our viral Free Social Media Calendar for 2025
Comes with a free video class on how to plan your whole year with ease!
Get social media content ideas, learn how to balance sales and nurturing content and get better at planning your business!
Manu Muraro is the founder of Your Social Team, an Instagram strategy and templates business that helps ethical brands with a sense of humor grow their organic engagement and sales using Instagram.
Your Social Team offers Your Template Club, a Canva template subscription to help social media managers and busy business owners get more results and save time.
Born and raised in Brazil, Manu moved to the U.S. in 2000, right out of college, to work for Cartoon Network, where she made an award-winning career in creative for 15 years.
Manu started Your Social Team in 2017 and has worked with brands like Canva, Adobe, Flodesk, Teachable, Brit+Co, James Beard Foundation, Open Table and many others.
In 2024 Your Social Team hosted the first ever Reels Award Show, The Reelies, focussing on recognizing the work of small entrepreneurs and making them award winners.