Payam Javan: Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced on Jan. 7 that it is ending its U.S. fact-checking program, replacing it with a new system called “community notes,” inspired by the approach used by Elon Musk’s platform X. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that the change reflects a return to the company’s commitment to free expression. Launched after the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the fact-checking initiative involved third-party reviewers flagging or removing posts, but Zuckerberg criticized it as overly biased and damaging to trust. Community notes will instead rely on user feedback, displaying contextual notes that garner broad, bipartisan support. Meta is also simplifying its content policies by removing certain rules related to immigration and gender while reserving action for severe violations based on user reports.

Meta Adjusts Political Content Strategy and Moderation Practices
Meta is also shifting its approach to political content and moderation. Having previously minimized political content on platforms, the company now plans to reintroduce such posts based on user interest signals. Meta is relocating its content moderation team from California to Texas to rebuild confidence in its processes and reduce accidental takedowns. Zuckerberg revealed plans to collaborate with President-elect Donald Trump to combat global censorship, particularly from governments like China’s. Criticizing the Biden administration for fostering censorship, Zuckerberg expressed optimism about the future of free speech under new leadership. With these changes, Meta aims to balance user empowerment with policy enforcement while reducing errors and fostering diverse discourse.