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Meta replaces fact-checking with community notes
Facebook and Instagram owner Meta said Tuesday it’s scrapping its third-party fact-checking program and replacing it with a Community Notes program written by users similar to the model used by Elon Musk’s social media platform X.
LOS ANGELES - Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, will begin testing its new fact-checking system, Community Notes, on March 18. The program, which relies on user contributions rather than professional fact-checkers, replaces the company’s traditional fact-checking initiative.
The shift comes after Meta ended fact-checking in January, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg citing political bias as a concern. The decision has drawn backlash from media experts, who warn that eliminating fact-checking could further the spread of misinformation on social media.
What is Meta’s new Community Notes system?
The backstory:
Meta’s Community Notes will allow users to write and rate fact-checking notes on viral posts. The system is modeled after a similar program on X (formerly Twitter), where notes are only published if contributors with diverse viewpoints agree on their accuracy.
Unlike previous fact checks, which reduced the reach of flagged posts, Community Notes will not limit a post’s distribution. Meta says the new system will provide more transparency while allowing users to contribute fact-checking context collectively.
For now, Meta is opening sign-ups for potential contributors in the U.S., but public notes won’t appear immediately. The company says it will take time to test the system before rolling it out worldwide.
Why did Meta end traditional fact-checking?
The other side:
Meta introduced professional fact-checking in 2016 in response to growing concerns over misinformation on its platforms, particularly during the U.S. presidential election. The company partnered with over 100 organizations in more than 60 languages to verify claims and limit the spread of false information.
FILE - Meta logo displayed on a laptop screen and Facebook logo displayed on a phone screen. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
However, in January 2025, Meta discontinued the program, with Zuckerberg arguing that fact-checkers had become "politically biased." The move aligned with long-standing criticism from conservatives, who have accused fact-checkers of disproportionately targeting right-leaning content.
Media experts and fact-checking organizations have expressed concern over the change, arguing that eliminating professional oversight could allow misinformation to flourish unchecked.
What’s next for Meta’s misinformation efforts?
Big picture view:
Community Notes represents a significant shift in Meta’s approach to moderating misinformation. While fact-checking organizations previously had a direct role in evaluating content, the new system puts the responsibility in the hands of platform users.
Meta insists that Community Notes will be a fair and transparent system, but critics worry it could open the door for misinformation to spread under the guise of user-generated fact-checking. The program is set to expand beyond the U.S. in the future, making it a major test of whether a crowdsourced model can effectively combat misinformation.
The Source: This report is based on information from The Associated Press, which first detailed Meta’s announcement of Community Notes and its shift away from traditional fact-checking. Additional details were provided by Meta’s official statements and past fact-checking policies.