Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced a significant shift in the company’s content moderation strategy, creating concern across the digital landscape. The decision to end the Meta fact-check program in favor of a system modeled after X’s (formerly Twitter) Community Notes has sent ripples through the fact-checking industry.
Meta Abandons Third-Party Fact-Checking
On January 7, 2025, Zuckerberg revealed that Meta’s fact-checking program would be dismantled, marking an end to years of collaboration with independent organizations dedicated to combating misinformation. The announcement came via a video, without prior consultation with Meta’s network of fact-checking partners.
According to Zuckerberg, the decision is part of a broader effort to “restore free expression” across Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
This shift also signals the end of contracts with ten U.S.-based fact-checkers, including PolitiFact, Factcheck.org, and Reuters Fact Check, potentially leaving these organizations without a critical source of revenue.
