Meta Shifts Gears: Dumps Fact-Checkers for Community Moderation System

California,USA : In a groundbreaking overhaul, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced sweeping changes to the company’s content moderation policies, marking the end of the fact-checking era on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Instead, a community-driven system inspired by Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) will now take center stage.

“This is about reducing mistakes, simplifying policies, and restoring free expression,” Zuckerberg said in a video statement. “Fact-checkers have caused more harm than good, and the recent elections show it’s time to pivot back to open discourse.”

The announcement garnered applause from prominent figures. President-elect Donald Trump expressed satisfaction, hinting at potential influence over the shift, stating, “They’ve come a long way – Meta.” Elon Musk also lauded the move, calling it "cool."

Meta plans to adopt X’s "community notes" feature, allowing users to collaboratively provide clarifications on contentious posts. The move is part of a broader strategy to counteract political bias, which Zuckerberg acknowledged had marred the trustworthiness of fact-checking systems.

In a bid to further this initiative, Meta’s content moderation teams will relocate from California to Texas, where concerns about ideological bias are less pronounced. Joel Kaplan, Meta's Chief Global Affairs Officer, echoed Zuckerberg’s optimism, highlighting how X’s approach fosters collaborative and transparent content moderation.

Meta’s independent fact-checking program will be phased out in the US first, with global implementation expected soon. While easing restrictions on mainstream discussions, the company emphasized its commitment to tackling illegal activities and high-severity violations like terrorism and child exploitation.

This policy shift, hailed as Meta’s boldest yet, reflects a broader cultural shift toward prioritizing speech and empowering users, marking a new chapter in the social media giant’s history.