Meta has announced it will scrap its fact-checking system, replacing it with community notes from users. The move comes after co-chair of the social media company’s oversight board Helle Thorning-Schmidt and former president of global affairs Nick Clegg departed the company.
Thorning-Schmidt stated that Meta systems had become “too complex” and expressed concerns about potential over-enforcement, particularly regarding gender rights and LGBTQ+ issues. The decision has been met with criticism from online safety campaigners and commentators, who warn it will enable misinformation and harmful content to spread.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, defended the move, saying that fact-checkers were “too politically biased” and that the new system would prioritize free speech in the US ahead of Donald Trump’s potential return to office. The change will see community notes take over from third-party checkers, a system used on X (formerly Twitter) after Elon Musk’s ownership change.
The move has been welcomed by Linda Yaccarino, head of X, who described it as “really exciting” and said the new system is “good for the world”. However, Thorning-Schmidt and Clegg have expressed concerns about potential consequences, including an increase in hate speech and real-life harm.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/08/meta-scrapped-factcheckers-because-systems-were-too-complex