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Zuckerberg Announces Meta to End Fact-Checking, Introduce Community Notes to Restore Free Expression

Jan 7, 2025, 12:30 PM

Meta Platforms Inc., led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, announced that it is ending its third-party fact-checking program in the United States and replacing it with a community notes system similar to that used by X (formerly Twitter). "Fact-checkers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they've created," Zuckerberg stated. The company aims to restore free expression on its platforms by simplifying content policies and removing restrictions on topics such as immigration and gender that are out of touch with mainstream discourse. New Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan emphasized the shift back to Meta's roots on free expression. Meta will adopt a more personalized approach to political content, allowing users who wish to see more of it in their feeds. Zuckerberg noted that recent elections feel like a cultural tipping point towards prioritizing freedom of expression. The changes mark a significant shift in Meta's content moderation strategy, aligning it more closely with the policies implemented by Elon Musk at X.