Zuckerberg Scraps Facebook Fact-Checking for Community Notes, Drawing Parallels to Musk’s X Platform

Meta, Facebook’s parent company, announced a significant shift in its content moderation strategy as CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed plans to end its third-party fact-checking program in favor of a community notes model similar to the system used by Elon Musk’s X platform.

The new approach will initially roll out in the United States but won’t extend to the European Union for now, as Meta reviews its obligations there.

In a video statement on Meta’s corporate website, Zuckerberg explained the rationale behind the move. “We’re going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies, and restoring free expression on our platforms,” he said.

“More specifically, we’re going to get rid of fact-checkers and replace them with community notes, similar to X.”

Meta clarified to POLITICO that fact-checking would continue in the EU as the company assesses its regulatory responsibilities before implementing any changes. This announcement aligns with efforts by Meta and other tech giants to strengthen ties with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration.

Notably, Meta recently appointed a prominent Republican to lead its global policy team and added Trump ally Dana White to its board of directors.

Trump’s choice for Federal Communications Commission chairman, Brendan Carr, enthusiastically welcomed Zuckerberg’s announcement. In an X post, Carr responded with a meme of actor Jack Nicholson nodding in approval.

Carr has been vocal about his intention to dismantle what he calls the “censorship cartel” of Big Tech, signaling alignment between the incoming administration and Meta’s new direction.

Meta’s decision marks a departure from the fact-checking system it implemented in December 2016, following criticism of Facebook’s role in the U.S. election that brought Trump to power. The program relied on external partners to verify information, a model adopted by other platforms like Twitter.

However, Twitter shifted gears after Elon Musk’s 2022 acquisition, introducing community notes that allow users to add context to viral posts.

The timing of Meta’s decision is notable, coming just weeks before Trump’s inauguration and the creation of the new Department of Government Efficiency, which Musk will oversee. The move could further solidify Meta’s alignment with Trump’s administration as tech companies seek to navigate the shifting political landscape.

In addition to Facebook and Instagram, Meta also owns WhatsApp, one of the world’s most popular messaging platforms. As the company adopts its community-driven approach in the U.S., the broader implications for its global operations remain uncertain.

However, the shift signals a major step toward decentralizing content moderation and placing more control in the hands of users.

While critics argue that eliminating professional fact-checkers could lead to misinformation spreading unchecked, supporters view the move as a victory for free speech and a step away from perceived biases in content moderation.

The transition from fact-checking to community notes reflects a growing trend among tech companies to prioritize user engagement and platform autonomy over reliance on external partners.

As Zuckerberg’s Meta and Musk’s X embrace similar models, the rivalry between these two tech giants appears to be driving significant changes in the digital landscape.

Whether the community notes model will prove effective in combating misinformation or exacerbate challenges remains to be seen, but it undoubtedly marks a turning point in how social media platforms approach content oversight in the evolving political climate.