On January 7th, Meta made a significant announcement stating that the company will no longer rely on third-party fact checkers. Instead, it will transition to a more community-based method. The third-party companies were caught off guard, not expecting their steady client to choose not to renew their contracts. The social networking giant, parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, has a history of using third-party fact checkers to verify information presented in posts.
The root cause of this decision can perhaps be traced back to the incident in November 2016, when Facebook was blamed for a tsunami of misinformation and conspiracy theories surrounding the 2016 election, in which President Trump won his first term in the White House. Mark Zuckerberg, standing before Congress, stated that he planned to work with fact checkers to combat the spread of fake news.
What prompted this change in plans? Over the course of its existence, Meta has faced constant backlash and criticism from world leaders and civil society groups. In 2017, Zuckerberg conducted a “listening tour” across the United States to better understand how Americans used his social platforms. Unfortunately, the campaign backfired, and photos of him on the tour led to theories that he was running for political office. The criticism did not cease, ultimately leading Zuckerberg to a breaking point in 2021, when he said he was “considering steps” to reduce political content on Facebook. He decided to revert to his original ideologies on free speech, which involve a form of lighter moderation. This, combined with his discomfort with the use of third-party fact checkers, led him to investigate their biases. He concluded that “fact checkers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created.”
It’s safe to say that this announcement was bound to happen. Zuckerberg’s desire to move toward free expression comes with the consequence of more “bad stuff” on social media platforms, something he describes as a “trade-off.” Critics argue that it could result in a rise in disinformation and that this decision is likely aimed at restoring Meta’s relationship with President Trump, who has previously accused social media platforms of censoring conservative voices. As anticipated, the announcement was welcomed by Trump, who stated that Meta has “come a long way,” and his fellow Republican allies expressed their agreement.
So, what are Community Notes? Users will be able to provide a range of perspectives to help prevent biased ratings. Meta intends to be transparent about the entire process and hopes to increase free speech while decreasing censorship, all while maintaining strict regulatory policies on illegal and high-severity violations. It’s important to note the similarity to Elon Musk’s approach to X, which works closely with the President and likely influenced Meta’s announcement.
Perhaps the decision is a strategy to reduce the amount of monitoring the company does, or maybe Zuckerberg’s intentions truly stem from a desire to uphold the company’s original values. Whatever the case may be, it is wise for Americans to stay informed about politics so that we can form our own opinions.