Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced that his company will drop its fact-checking program, and reduce curbs on discussions around topics such as immigration and gender ideology in an apparent attempt to improve relations with incoming U.S. president Donald Trump.
The move means that social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram—which are owned by Meta—will not be moderated and censored by third-party fact-checkers. Instead, users can add so-called “community notes” to content that they perceive as misinformation or that require added context.
“We’ve reached a point where it’s just too many mistakes and too much censorship. It’s time to get back to our roots around free expression,” Zuckerberg said in a video uploaded to Facebook on Tuesday, January 7th. He added that the fact-checkers “have been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they have created.”
Facebook has been accused of systematically censoring free speech in recent years by issuing warnings, deleting content, and erasing the accounts of those who dared to express alternative political views from those of the mainstream liberal establishment.
In line with its major rivals, Facebook silenced conservative content on issues such as the COVID vaccination, immigration, and gender ideology. The platform infamously suspended Donald Trump’s account, and helped censor a major news story about the criminal activities of President Joe Biden’s son.
The Facebook founder’s decision to reverse his earlier policies has sparked widespread speculation. Many believe this move could be an attempt to improve relations with President-elect Donald Trump, who has previously been critical of Zuckerberg for banning him and referred to the CEO as “an enemy of the people.”
“Is this a cynical and self-interested attempt to beg for forgiveness/pay for protection with shifting political winds, leading to cosmetic and temporary reforms? Prudence demands that we distrust and verify,” conservative daily, the New York Post warned.
Asked at a press conference if he thought Zuckerberg was responding to his threats, which have included a pledge to imprison the CEO, Trump said “probably.”
The two men met in November at Trump’s Mar-A-Lago residence in Florida, a move that was seen as a bid by Zuckerberg to mend the strained ties. Last week, Meta also elevated Republican policy executive Joel Kaplan as global affairs head, replacing former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.
If Zuckerberg does indeed intend to transform Facebook and Instagram into havens of free speech—which is highly questionable for now—the changes will only be visible for U.S. users. Fact-checkers will continue their work in the European Union which is keen on overregulating tech companies and censoring media platforms under its so-called Digital Services Act (DSA). Companies that do not comply with the EU’s laws face a hefty fine.
The owner of social media platform X, Elon Musk is currently public enemy number one in the EU, because he has declared his support for right-wing, patriotic politicians, such as Donald Trump, and has refused to sign the EU’s “voluntary” anti-disinformation pact.
Under Musk, X has transformed into a platform that encourages free speech and rejects censorship. Instead of third-party fact-checking, content deemed unsuitable by some users can be put into context by adding “community notes”—the same tool Zuckerberg is preparing for his Meta platforms.
