Meta to Replace Fact-Checkers with ‘Community Notes’ System Across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a major shift in the company’s content moderation strategy, revealing that Facebook, Instagram, and Threads will replace traditional fact-checkers with a “Community Notes” system similar to the approach used by X. Zuckerberg explained that the move aligns with Meta’s commitment to return “to our roots around free expression.”
“We’re replacing fact-checkers with Community Notes, simplifying our policies and focusing on reducing mistakes,” Zuckerberg revealed on Tuesday. “Looking forward to this next chapter.”
Joel Kaplan, Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, elaborated on the shift in a blog post titled “More Speech and Fewer Mistakes.” Kaplan explained that the new system will prioritize allowing discourse on topics that have become “mainstream discourse” and focus on the company’s enforcement efforts “on illegal and high-severity violations.”
Fact-checkers were introduced on Meta’s platforms after the 2016 presidential election but have faced significant criticism for perceived political bias, according to ABC News. Zuckerberg acknowledged these concerns, stating that the system had “destroyed more trust than they’ve created.” He added, “The recent elections also feel like a cultural tipping point towards once again prioritizing speech.”
The move takes inspiration from X owner Elon Musk’s implementation of Community Notes, which allows users to add fact-checks or context to posts. This crowdsourced approach has been praised for its accuracy and reduced bias compared to traditional methods. Kaplan highlighted that Mus’s strategy has empowered X’s “community to decide when posts are potentially misleading and need more context.”
“We think this could be a better way of achieving our original intention of providing people with information about what they’re seeing — and one that’s less prone to bias,” Kaplan said.
Kaplan also acknowledged the downsides of Meta’s current fact-checking system, admitting it has gotten to “the point where we are making too many mistakes,” to the frustration of users.
“Too much harmless content gets censored, too many people find themselves wrongly locked up in ‘Facebook jail,’ and we are often too slow to respond when they do,” he said.
