Meta has announced the discontinuation of its fact-checking program in the United States, opting instead for a new “Community Notes” system. This shift, similar to the approach used by Elon Musk’s X platform, will allow users of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads to flag posts they feel need additional context, moving the responsibility of content oversight from external fact-checkers to the user community.
Mark Zuckerberg explained that the change comes in response to concerns over bias in the fact-checking process and its effects on free speech. The company acknowledged that its previous efforts to manage content had often led to errors and user frustration, turning what was meant to be an informative tool into a means of censorship.
Meta plans to gradually introduce the Community Notes system over the next few months and fine-tune the system throughout the year. Additionally, the company will stop demoting content flagged by fact-checkers and replace intrusive warnings with labels offering supplemental information on flagged posts.
