X CEO Linda Yaccarino expressed admiration for Meta and its CEO Mark Zuckerberg during a keynote address at CES 2025 in Las Vegas.

She highlighted Meta’s decision to replace its long-standing fact-checking program with community-driven notes, describing the move as both “exciting” and “validating.”

https://usaherald.com/meta-relocates-trust-and-safety-team-to-texas-as-content-moderation-shift/

X CEO Linda Yaccarino Praises Meta’s Shift

“I think it’s really exciting when you think about community notes being good for the world … and it couldn’t be more validating than to see that Mark and Meta realize that,” Yaccarino stated. “Mark, Meta, welcome to the party.”

Both Yaccarino and X owner Elon Musk have been strong advocates for the crowd-sourced fact-checking approach that Meta now plans to implement across its platforms.

Yaccarino’s enthusiasm for Zuckerberg’s decision stems from her belief that cutting ties with traditional media fact-checking partners aligns with a broader push for decentralized content moderation.

Like Musk, she has openly criticized “legacy media” and used her CES address to call out “legacy news that is designed to make you think a certain way.”

Meta’s Content Moderation Overhaul

Zuckerberg’s move is seen as a significant departure from Meta’s previous moderation practices, signaling a realignment toward political conservatism as Donald Trump’s administration prepares to take office.

Notably, Meta has also appointed UFC CEO and Trump supporter Dana White to its board and promoted a Republican executive to lead global affairs.

During the CES event, Zuckerberg announced the suspension of Meta’s fact-checking program, signaling a pivot to the Community Notes model, which is already in use on X. In a video message, he acknowledged the shortcomings of Meta’s existing moderation systems.

“We’ve built a lot of complex systems to moderate content,” Zuckerberg said. “But the problem with complex systems is they make mistakes. Even if they accidentally censor one percent of posts, that’s millions of people.”

He emphasized a return to simplicity and free expression: “We’re gonna get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies, and restoring free expression on our platforms.”

The transition to Community Notes will begin in the United States, with plans to phase out traditional fact-checking methods and reduce the prominence of content warning labels over the coming months.

Concerns About Community Notes

Yaccarino welcomed Meta’s adoption of Community Notes, but the feature has faced criticism. 

Researchers from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) have pointed out flaws, noting that misleading posts on X, including some from Musk, often go uncorrected and amass billions of views.

Meta aims to refine its approach to political content, offering users the option to personalize their feeds on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. 

This shift follows other actions signaling Meta’s efforts to align with the incoming administration, including replacing longtime policy chief Nick Clegg with a former George W. Bush aide and making notable political appointments.