Mark Zuckerberg is shaking up Facebook’s fact-checking system in favour of a new “Community Notes” approach, sparking concern among users and experts alike. The move has been met with widespread criticism, particularly after revelations that the revised hate speech policy now allows for discriminatory language towards LGBTQ+ individuals.
Facebook’s Community Notes system, which was initially introduced by Elon Musk on Twitter in 2021, would allow users to add context or clarification to each other’s posts, rated by the community as helpful or unhelpful. However, critics argue that this approach is not suitable for Facebook’s massive userbase and is unlikely to mitigate the platform’s notorious disinformation issues.
The fact-checking teams themselves were reportedly caught off guard by Zuckerberg’s decision. The move has also led to a surge in online roasting of the CEO, with many users posting fake headlines and memes mocking his latest moves.
Zuckerberg has also used this opportunity to promote a more conservative agenda, stating that companies need “masculine energy” and less “feminine energy”. His company’s revised hate speech policy now permits language that is discriminatory towards LGBTQ+ individuals.
Many experts believe that Zuckerberg is attempting to cozy up with the incoming Trump/Musk administration. Meta’s relocation of its trust and safety teams from California to Texas has only fueled speculation about this theory.
While some users are excitedly speculating about what a Community Notes system on Facebook could look like, most agree that it is unlikely to improve the platform’s notorious spam and scam issues. The prospect of users creating and sharing hate speech-laden content is a daunting one, particularly for an aging userbase that has become increasingly vulnerable to online harassment.
As Facebook descends further into disinformation territory, experts warn of accelerated radicalization. With Elon Musk turning X into his personal fiefdom, it seems that the future of social media looks bleaker than ever.
Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/design/social-media/facebook-dumps-fact-checkers-the-internet-responds