Mark Zuckerberg dropped a bombshell on Tuesday, announcing that Meta is making sweeping changes to its censorship and fact-checking policies across platforms like Facebook and Instagram. In a video posted to Facebook, the Meta CEO revealed that the company will no longer partner with independent fact-checkers, lift restrictions on controversial topics like gender and immigration, and scale back its aggressive content filters.
Zuckerberg framed the decision as a return to Meta’s roots, emphasizing free expression and acknowledging what he called a “cultural tipping point” following the recent election. “We’re going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies, and restoring free expression on our platforms,” Zuckerberg said. He added that Meta would adopt Community Notes, a crowd-sourced fact-checking tool similar to the one used by Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), starting in the United States.
The move comes amid mounting criticism of tech giants’ roles in stifling debate and silencing dissent. Zuckerberg was blunt in his critique of fact-checkers, admitting they had become “politically biased and untrustworthy.” He explained that while Meta initially tried to combat misinformation in good faith, these efforts backfired, eroding public trust. “The fact-checkers have destroyed more trust than they created, especially in the U.S.,” Zuckerberg said.
Meta’s new direction will include dialing back content filters to focus on illegal content and severe violations rather than censoring everyday opinions. Zuckerberg admitted this would be a trade-off, with objectionable content slipping through more often, but he argued it would significantly reduce unfair censorship.
In a bold move, Meta’s Trust and Safety and Content Moderation teams will relocate from California to Texas, signaling a cultural shift within the company. The relocation coincides with plans to allow more political content on its platforms and reinstate accounts previously banned under what many have criticized as biased enforcement policies.
Zuckerberg also acknowledged pressure from the Biden administration to censor content, noting that this approach emboldened foreign governments to demand even stricter controls. With Trump set to return to the White House, Zuckerberg said Meta would work closely with the new administration to combat censorship abroad. “The U.S. has the strongest constitutional protections for free expression in the world,” he said.
The announcement comes after Zuckerberg recently met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Trump’s incoming deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, praised Zuckerberg’s commitment to the reform movement Trump is leading, signaling a new era of collaboration between Big Tech and conservative leaders.
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