Meta Drops Fact-Checkers, Overhauls Moderation: The Disinformation Age Arrives
Meta is significantly altering its content moderation policies on Facebook and Instagram, eliminating third-party fact-checkers in favor of user-generated “community notes,” mirroring X’s approach. This shift, announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, follows criticism of alleged bias against conservative voices and aims to prioritize free expression, though it acknowledges a potential increase in harmful content. The changes include adjustments to automated content-removal systems, focusing on high-severity violations, and relocating content moderation teams. This represents a major reversal from Meta’s previous commitment to independent fact-checking and more stringent content moderation.
John Q. Hosedrinker