Meta ends fact-Checking Program, signals shift ahead of Trump term

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Tuesday, January 7th, 2025

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Source The New York Times

Meta has announced the termination of its third-party fact-checking program, signaling a strategic pivot as the Trump presidency approaches. The company will now rely on users to flag misinformation through a feature called Community Notes, similar to the system used by X, formerly Twitter.

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, said the move reflects a return to the company’s core values of free expression, admitting the trade-off may allow more false content but reduce accidental censorship of legitimate posts. “We’ve gone too far in restricting speech,” Zuckerberg explained in a video statement.

Joel Kaplan, Meta’s newly appointed global policy chief, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need to reduce over-enforcement. The announcement coincides with broader policy changes, including the removal of restrictions on sensitive topics like immigration and gender identity.

The shift comes as Meta seeks to strengthen ties with conservative allies. Since Donald Trump’s reelection, the company has made moves to repair its strained relationship with his administration. Zuckerberg recently met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, elevated conservative executive Kaplan to a senior policy role, and added Dana White, a Trump ally, to Meta’s board.

Meta’s changes have drawn praise from Trump supporters, who criticized the previous fact-checking system as biased against conservative voices. Zuckerberg acknowledged this, stating that “recent elections” marked a “cultural tipping point” for prioritizing free speech.

The new content moderation protocol will roll out in the U.S. in the coming months.