Meta is making a change on Facebook and Instagram by phasing out independent fact-checkers and implementing X-style “community notes.” This new approach entrusts users with the task of commenting on the accuracy of posts.
According to a video released by the company on Tuesday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed that third-party moderators showed excessive political bias, and it’s now necessary to return to the core principles of free expression.
The decision reflects efforts by Zuckerberg and fellow tech leaders to mend their relationship with incoming US President, Donald Trump, ahead of his inauguration this month.
Trump and his Republican allies have denounced Meta’s fact-checking policy, accusing it of silencing conservative voices.
Addressing the changes, Trump expressed at a news conference his admiration for Zuckerberg’s decision, acknowledging the significant progress made by Meta.
When questioned about the possibility of Zuckerberg addressing previous threats from Trump, the president-elect replied: “Most likely.”
According to Joel Kaplan, a notable member of the Republican party stepping in as Meta’s new head of global affairs, the platform’s use of outside moderators was initially with good intentions. However, it has frequently led to instances of censorship.
The alteration prompted disappointment among those who oppose hateful language on the internet – and insinuated that it was driven by a desire to align with Trump’s beliefs.
According to Ava Lee of Global Witness, a campaign group focused on holding big tech accountable, Zuckerberg’s recent declaration is a clear effort to ingratiate himself with the incoming Trump administration, with potentially damaging consequences.
According to her, using the excuse of “censorship” is a strategic move to evade accountability for the promotion and propagation of hateful and false content on social media platforms.
Imitating X
Since its implementation in 2016, Meta’s fact-checking program has been referring posts that seem false or deceptive to external organizations for credibility assessment.
Inaccurate posts can receive additional labels and be pushed down in users’ feeds.
Community notes will now replace the phrase “in the US first.”
Meta has affirmed that it currently has no intentions to remove its third-party fact checkers from the UK and EU.
X inspired the latest community notes system following its acquisition and rebranding under Elon Musk’s leadership.
The process entails individuals with diverse perspectives coming to a consensus on annotations that provide additional context or explanations for contentious posts.
He praised Meta for also implementing this feature, calling it “cool.”
In response to raised concerns surrounding self-harm and depressive content, Meta has clarified that their approach towards content promoting suicide, self-injury, and eating disorders will remain unchanged.
Full Fact, a fact-checking organization that is part of Facebook’s program to verify posts in Europe, has stated that it rejects any accusations of bias towards its profession.
The decision, according to the head of the organization, Chris Morris, is a “regrettable move that could have negative consequences globally.”
Being locked out of Facebook.
In addition to content moderators, fact-checkers are often referred to as the internet’s emergency responders.
Meta bosses have determined that their level of involvement has been excessive.
In a recent statement, Joel Kaplan expressed concerns about excessive censorship on social media platforms, noting the high number of individuals who have been unfairly banned and our delayed response to their situations.
However, Meta does seem to acknowledge the potential risks – as mentioned in Zuckerberg’s video, the modifications would entail “a trade-off.”
“He explained that this would result in catching less harmful content while also decreasing the chances of mistakenly taking down innocent people’s posts and accounts.”
This approach contrasts with the recent regulation in the UK and Europe, which is compelling big tech companies to assume greater accountability for the content they host or face severe repercussions.
Therefore, it’s understandable that Meta’s shift away from this form of oversight is currently limited to the United States.
A complete shift in perspective.
In addition, Meta’s blog post mentioned that it would eliminate any unnecessary expansion of rules and policies.
The statement emphasized that our platforms should not restrict speech that is allowed on TV or in Congress.
As the date of Trump’s inauguration on 20 January approaches, technology companies and their executives are making preparations.
Numerous CEOs have openly praised Trump for his re-election, and some have even made the trip to his Florida residence, Mar-Lago, to personally meet with him as the incoming president. This includes Zuckerberg, who visited in November. Additionally, Meta has contributed $1m to an inauguration fund for Trump.
In his recent video on Tuesday, Zuckerberg expressed that the recent elections have signaled a cultural shift towards once again valuing the importance of free speech.
The New York Times reported that Meta had informed Trump’s team of the impending policy change ahead of the official announcement.
Kaplan taking over Sir Nick’s role as the company’s president of global affairs has been viewed as a sign of the firm’s evolving stance on moderation and shifting political interests.
In addition, it was revealed on Monday that Dana White, a key ally of Trump and current leader of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, will be joining the board of directors.
According to Kate Klonick, who works as an associate professor of law at St John’s University Law School, the recent changes demonstrate a trend that has been expected for some time now. This shift has become increasingly likely in recent years, particularly since Musk acquired X.
According to her, the management of speech on these platforms has become a topic of political discussion.
As businesses have previously dealt with the demand for trust and safety measures regarding concerns such as harassment, hate speech, and disinformation, there is currently a dramatic shift in the opposite direction taking place, according to her statement.
