Meta to replace fact-checkers with X-style community notes. Elon Musk approves

In a bold move, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has announced significant changes to Facebook’s content moderation policies, aiming to transform the social media platform into a hub for free speech.

The decision includes dismantling the existing fact-checking system on all Meta platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Threads, and introducing a new community-driven approach similar to the one used by Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter.

Elon Musk, a long-time advocate for free expression, welcomed the announcement. Reacting to the news on X, Musk simply wrote, “This is cool,” signalling his approval of the shift.

In a video message, Zuckerberg explained that Meta’s decision to eliminate fact-checkers stemmed from concerns over political bias. “Fact-checkers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created,” he said.

Instead, Meta plans to implement a “community notes” system, mirroring the model used by X, where users collaboratively provide context and clarifications to potentially contentious posts.

To further address concerns about bias, Zuckerberg announced that Meta’s content moderation teams will relocate from California to Texas “where there is less concern about the bias of our teams”.

However, he emphasised that the change is a step toward restoring trust and promoting open discourse on the platform.

Starting in the US, Zuckerberg said, Meta will end its fact-checking programme with independent third parties.

“We’ve seen this approach work on X – where they empower their community to decide when posts are potentially misleading and need more context,” Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan said in a blog post.

The social media giant also announced plans to promote “more speech” by easing certain restrictions on topics that are part of mainstream discussions. This shift aims, the company said, was to prioritise addressing illegal activities and “high severity violations” such as terrorism, child sexual exploitation, and drug-related offenses.