Meta to end fact-checking program on Facebook, Instagram in U.S.

Meta has announced it will discontinue its fact-checking program in the United States and introduce a system similar to "Community Notes," a feature on X, formerly Twitter. This new approach shifts the responsibility of flagging potentially misleading posts to users on Meta platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, rather than relying on independent fact-checking organizations.

For now, the changes will only apply in the U.S., with no immediate plans for implementation in Canada or other countries. A Meta spokesperson stated, "We are beginning with rolling out community notes in the [U.S.], and will continue to improve it over the course of the year before expansion to other countries."

In a blog post, Joel Kaplan, Meta’s chief global affairs officer, elaborated on the reasons behind the shift. "Experts, like everyone else, have their own biases and perspectives. This showed up in the choices some made about what to fact check and how," he explained. Kaplan noted that the program, originally designed to provide information, had sometimes been misused as a tool for censorship. He also highlighted that the company’s extensive efforts to manage content had led to mistakes, user frustration, and interference with free expression.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged that political developments, including Donald Trump’s presidential election victory, influenced the decision. "The recent elections also feel like a cultural tipping point towards once again prioritizing speech," Zuckerberg said in an online statement.

Meta plans to begin rolling out community notes in the U.S. over the coming months, with improvements to the system expected throughout the year. Kaplan referenced the success of a similar model on X, where users contribute to identifying and contextualizing potentially misleading posts.

As part of these changes, Meta will no longer demote fact-checked content. Instead, flagged posts will carry a label directing users to additional information, replacing the current practice of displaying full-screen warnings that must be clicked through to view the content.

This new approach aims to empower users and reduce the friction caused by previous content moderation methods, reflecting a broader shift toward prioritizing free expression on Meta’s platforms.