Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced a significant shift in its content moderation policies.

This includes ending its U.S.-based fact-checking program, a move that aligns with the priorities of incoming President Donald Trump.

In a post on Tuesday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated, “We’re eliminating fact-checkers who have been too politically biased, eroding more trust than they’ve built, especially in the U.S.” Instead, Meta platforms will adopt a community-driven approach to content moderation, similar to X (formerly Twitter), starting in the United States.

PHOTO | COURTESY Meta

The decision reflects long-standing criticisms from conservatives, including Trump’s Republican Party and X owner Elon Musk, who have accused fact-checking programs of censorship and targeting right-wing voices. Musk celebrated the move, posting, “This is cool,” on his platform.

Meta's announcement follows years of tension with Trump, who has accused the company of bias. In early 2023, Meta reinstated Trump’s account after suspending it following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots. When asked if Meta’s decision was influenced by his prior threats against Zuckerberg, Trump responded, “Probably, yeah.”

Angie Drobnic Holan, director of the International Fact-Checking Network, criticized the decision, stating it would harm users seeking accurate information. “This is the result of extreme political pressure,” she said.

Meta has made several recent moves that are likely to appease Trump’s administration. Former Republican official Joel Kaplan has been appointed as head of public affairs, succeeding Nick Clegg, while UFC President Dana White, a Trump ally, has joined Meta’s board. Kaplan noted that Meta’s content moderation policies had “gone too far” and vowed to restore balance.

Additionally, Meta plans to relocate its trust and safety teams from California to Texas, a move Zuckerberg said would “build trust in regions less concerned about political bias.”

Meta’s policy shift comes as the European Union enforces stricter content moderation laws. Zuckerberg criticized these measures, claiming they hinder innovation. He intended to collaborate with President Trump to resist foreign regulations targeting American companies.

The company also announced it would reverse its 2021 policy of reducing political content on its platforms, signaling a return to more open discussions on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta’s move toward community-driven content moderation mirrors X’s Community Notes system. This model encourages users to collaboratively add context to posts, aiming to create consensus-driven accuracy without relying on centralized oversight.

Since its introduction in 2016, Meta’s fact-checking initiative has worked with 80 organizations globally to reduce misinformation. However, critics argue that the program disproportionately affected conservative voices, prompting calls for reform.