Mark Zuckerberg recently announced significant changes to Meta’s social platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. The new policy aims to reduce content moderation, specifically removing factcheckers from the process. Instead of fact-checking, the company will boost political content in users’ feeds.
Zuckerberg cited a change in public perception as the reason for this shift. He believes that the safeguards against misinformation, hate speech, and violence are now seen as censorship rather than protection. This move is typical of Meta’s approach to policy changes, which often adapt based on who is in power.
Critics argue that Zuckerberg is being politically expedient, particularly with Trump’s recent re-entry into the White House. Technology journalist Chris Stokel-Walker sees this as a calculated attempt to appease right-wing sentiment.
Jesse Stiller, a former fact-checker at Facebook, shares his concerns about the impact of these changes. He warns that without effective moderation, misinformation and hate speech may spread more freely on the platform. As Meta’s new policy takes shape, it remains to be seen how this shift will affect users and the broader online landscape.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2025/jan/14/a-new-facebook-for-the-era-of-president-trump-podcast