The Meta group (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram) announced on January 7, 2025 its decision to end its fact-checking program in the United States. It was in a message on social networks that the boss and founder of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, declared that the group wanted to “get rid of fact-checkers, (responsible for eliminating fake news social networks) for replace with community notessimilar to X (formerly Twitter), starting with the United States.
According to Zuckerberg, “fact-checkers have been too politically oriented and have participated more in reduce confidence that they have improved it, especially in the United States”. To this announcement, Meta added an official press release specifying that once the new synth is operational, it will be users who will assign community ratings content published on the group’s various platforms.
This initiative should be introduced in the coming months in the United States. It is now possible for American users of Facebook, Instagram and Threads to register to potentially be part of this program. This is placed directly in a approach in line with current policy clearly announced by the boss of Meta.
A response to the current political climate
In a video published on the day of the announcement on Meta’s official website, Mark Zuckerberg clarifies the group’s positions on camera. “We have tried in good faith to address these issues without becoming the arbiters of truthbut the fact-checkers were too politically oriented and have contributed more to reducing confidence than to improving it, particularly in the United States.” On this momentum, the group should review and “simplify” its rules concerning content on all of its platforms and “put an end to a certain number of limits concerning dtopics, such as immigration and genderwhich are no longer in the dominant discourses” according to Zuckerberg.
This announcement takes place a few days before the inauguration of Donald Trump. The future president had in the past accused Meta to support progressive speeches favorable to left-wing ideas.
A change of direction with respect to Donald Trump
The decision to end fact-checking at Meta is considered a desire to promote freedom of expression. This postulate is the same one put forward by the owner of the network designed X (formerly Twitter), Elon Muska fervent ally of Donald Trump.
Like him, Mark Zuckerberg seems to be part of a desire to maintain the best relations with the future president. Other initiatives in favor of the Republican leader have already been taken, such as the appointment of Trump loyalists in important positions, such as lobbyist Joe Kaplan, as head of public affairs at Meta. On this same end, Meta should move your teams “trust and security” of the generally more Democratic state of California to that of Texas more Republican.
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