Thu Mar 13 14:13:34 UTC 2025: ## Meta Ditches Third-Party Fact-Checkers, Launches Crowd-Sourced Moderation System
**MENLO PARK, CA** – Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, is abandoning its reliance on third-party fact-checkers and shifting to a community-based content moderation system called Community Notes. The system, launching in a US pilot program on March 18th, will allow users to add contextual notes to potentially misleading content.
This move comes after years of criticism from conservative circles alleging censorship. Meta, under CEO Mark Zuckerberg, has also scaled back diversity initiatives and relaxed content moderation rules, prompting concerns from global organizations like the UN. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently warned that these changes could increase online hate and violence.
Community Notes, similar to a system already in place on X (formerly Twitter), will utilize an open-source algorithm. Users over 18 with established accounts will be able to contribute notes, which will only be published if contributors with differing viewpoints agree on their accuracy and helpfulness. Unlike fact-checked posts, content flagged with Community Notes will not face reduced distribution.
The initial rollout will include six languages and focus on approximately 200,000 pre-registered US users. Meta will gradually expand access and thoroughly test the system before a global launch. Until then, third-party fact-checking will continue in other countries. Meta’s decision marks a significant change in its content moderation strategy, replacing its collaboration with fact-checking organizations like AFP, which currently works with Facebook in 26 languages. The new system prioritizes a crowd-sourced approach, raising concerns about potential biases and the effectiveness of managing misinformation on a global scale.
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