On Tuesday, Meta Platforms announced that it will end its U.S. fact-checking program and ease restrictions on conversations related to issues such as immigration and gender identity, coinciding with Donald Trump’s upcoming second term as President.

This change marks one of the most significant adjustments Meta has made in managing political discourse across its platforms and aligns with CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s intention to improve relations with the new administration.

The alteration will impact Facebook, Instagram, and Threads—three leading global social media networks boasting over 3 billion users collectively.

Last week, Meta appointed Republican policy veteran Joel Kaplan as the head of global affairs and also welcomed Dana White, UFC CEO and a close Trump ally, to its board of directors.

Zuckerberg stated in a video message, “We’ve reached a point where there’s been excessive errors and censorship. It’s time to return to our foundational values of free expression.”

He noted that recent U.S. elections have influenced his decisions, suggesting they signify a cultural shift toward emphasizing freedom of speech again.

Instead of a formal fact-checking initiative to counter misinformation on its platforms, Zuckerberg plans to introduce a “community notes” system akin to that implemented on Elon Musk’s X.

Moreover, Meta will concentrate on its automated tools to eliminate “high-severity violations” and illegal content, like terrorism and drug trafficking, while halting active monitoring for hate speech and other violations, only addressing such claims based on user reports.

Zuckerberg also mentioned that the teams responsible for content policy and review would be relocated from California to other states, including Texas.

However, a Meta representative did not provide details on which teams would be moving or whether relocations would occur elsewhere. Additionally, they declined to identify examples of errors or biases shown by fact-checkers.

‘A Surprising Development’

The termination of the fact-checking program, initiated in 2016, surprised many partner organizations.

“We were completely unaware this was coming, and it’s certainly a shock for us. This will definitely impact our work,” stated Jesse Stiller, managing editor at Check Your Fact.

Angie Drobnic Holan, head of the International Fact-Checking Network, contested Zuckerberg’s claims about bias among its members.

“Fact-checking journalism has always aimed to provide context and information to controversial claims, debunking false content and conspiracy theories, rather than censoring or eliminating posts. The fact-checkers utilized by Meta adhere to a Code of Principles that emphasizes neutrality and transparency,” she remarked in a statement.

Since 2020, YSL News has collaborated with Meta to verify viral misinformation on social media.

“We’re committed to fact-based journalism,” expressed Kristin Roberts, chief content officer of YSL News’ parent company, Gannett Media. “As a reliable news source, we provide unbiased and crucial information for all audiences, ensuring that truth and factuality benefit everyone—regardless of political affiliation.”

Other collaborators, like AFP, did not immediately respond to inquiries, while Reuters declined to provide a comment. However, Meta’s independent Oversight Board has praised the recent changes.

In recent months, Zuckerberg has conveyed regret over specific moderation actions related to topics like COVID-19. Additionally, Meta contributed $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, a departure from its previous practices.

Ross Burley, co-founder of the non-profit Centre for Information Resilience, criticized the move: “This is a significant regression in content moderation at a time when disinformation and harmful content are advancing at a rapid pace. This appears to be more about political appeasement rather than sound policy.”

Currently, Meta’s revisions apply only to the U.S. market, with no imminent plans to discontinue its fact-checking initiative in regions like the European Union, which has a more stringent regulatory environment for tech companies, according to a spokesperson who spoke to Reuters.

Trump commented positively on Meta’s strategy to dissolve fact-checking, saying, “Meta has made a lot of progress. Zuckerberg impressed me greatly.” He suggested that Zuckerberg might be reacting to external pressures.

Meanwhile, X is under investigation by the European Commission regarding the spread of illegal content within the EU and the effectiveness of its measures against information manipulation, including the “Community Notes” feature.

The Commission initiated this investigation in December 2023, months after X introduced the feature. A spokesperson informed that the Commission is aware of Meta’s new decision and continues to monitor the company’s compliance with EU regulations.

As of 2023, the European Union’s Digital Services Act mandates that large online platforms like X and Facebook address illegal content diligently.

This law outlines specific guidelines regarding content moderation, user privacy, and transparency. Companies that fail to comply may incur penalties of up to 6% of their global earnings.

Meta has announced plans to gradually introduce Community Notes in the United States over the upcoming months, with improvements expected throughout the year.

This initiative will enable users to identify posts that may be misleading and require additional context, instead of relying solely on independent fact-checkers and specialists.

Meta has confirmed that it will not interfere with how Community Notes are added to posts across its platforms.