Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Meta, announced that Facebook, Instagram, and Threads will no longer use independent fact-checkers. Instead, Meta’s platforms will adopt X-style “community notes” after criticism from conservatives as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.
Meta Ends Third-Party Fact-Checking on Its Platforms
Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to get rid of fact-checkers, “dramatically reduce the amount of censorship,” and increase political content recommendations across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
The step comes with efforts by Mark Zuckerberg and other tech executives to strengthen ties with President-elect Donald Trump ahead of his inauguration later this month.
In a video message, Zuckerberg emphasized prioritizing free speech. He stated that Meta will begin implementing “community notes” similar to those on X, starting in the United States.
Mark Zuckerberg criticized Meta's fact-checkers, stating they were “too politically biased” and had “destroyed more trust than they’ve created.”
He announced that the company's content moderation teams would relocate from California to Texas, aiming to address concerns about team bias. Zuckerberg acknowledged that the changes in Meta's content filtering approach would result in “catching less bad stuff.”
Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta will eliminate several restrictions on immigration and gender topics, describing them as “out of touch with mainstream discourse.”
The announcement follows the recent resignation of Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs and former U.K. deputy prime minister. Prominent Republican Joel Kaplan will succeed Clegg.
Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to replace Meta's formal fact-checking program with a “community notes” system, similar to the user-driven fact-checking checks on Elon Musk's platform, X.
Meta stated it will begin rolling out “Community Notes” in the U.S. within the next few months, with plans to enhance the model throughout the year. Meanwhile, Musk's X faces an ongoing European Commission investigation, which includes scrutiny of its “Community Notes” system.
Trump Praises Meta’s Decision to End Fact-Checking Program
Donald Trump and his Republican allies long criticized Meta's fact-checking policies, accusing the company of censoring right-wing voices.
After Zuckerberg announced the changes, Trump praised his decision during a news conference, stating that Meta had “come a long way.” When asked if Zuckerberg was responding to Trump's previous threats, the President-elect replied, “Probably.”
Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican replacing Sir Nick Clegg as Meta's global affairs chief, defended the shift, calling the reliance on independent moderators “well-intentioned” but frequently leading to censorship.
Meta Faces Backlash After Ditching Fact-Checkers
Helle Thorning-Schmidt, co-chair of Meta's independent oversight board, expressed serious concerns about the impact of the company's decision to axe fact-checkers on minority groups.
During an interview on “BBC Radio 4's Today” program, Thorning-Schmidt highlighted “huge problems” with the plan.
Philippine Nobel laureate Maria Ressa warned of “extremely dangerous times ahead” following Meta's decision to end its U.S. fact-checking program.
In an interview with AFP, Ressa, co-founder of the Rappler news site, highlighted the risks to journalism, democracy, and social media users while countering online disinformation and facing legal battles under former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Ressa criticized Meta's move, rejecting Mark Zuckerberg's framing of it as a free speech issue. “That’s completely wrong,” she said. “Only if you're profit driven can you claim that; only if you want power and money can you claim that. This is about safety.”
Moreover, campaigners against online hate speech condemned the move, suggesting Meta aimed to align with Trump.
Ava Lee of Global Witness called the announcement “a blatant attempt to cozy up to the incoming Trump administration” and warned of its harmful consequences. She argued that framing the change as avoiding “censorship” is a political strategy to sidestep responsibility for the hate and disinformation that platforms enable.
In addition, several tech watchdog groups condemned Meta's decision, warning it could trigger a surge in disinformation.
Nicole Gill, executive director of Accountable Tech, described the move as “a gift to Donald Trump and extremists around the world.”
Nora Benavidez, senior counsel at Free Press, criticized Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, stating he was “saying yes to more lies, yes to more harassment, yes to more hate.”
Mark Zuckerberg's decision has sparked sharp criticism from politicians, raising concerns about its implications.
Experts and political figures warned that Meta's sweeping changes to content moderation could lead to a clash with legislators in the U.K. and the European Union.
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