Meta has announced it will test a new crowdsourced fact-checking feature called “Community Notes,” which will utilize an open-source algorithm developed by Elon Musk’s X. The move aims to replace the company’s previous reliance on third-party fact-checkers, a system that faced criticism, particularly from conservatives, who accused it of bias and labeling legitimate viewpoints as misinformation.
The decision, revealed by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in January, comes amid a broader shift within Big Tech to realign with conservative voices and US President Donald Trump’s administration. This shift followed years of complaints that fact-checking efforts were overly politicized and skewed against conservative perspectives.
While conservatives, including Trump, have largely praised Meta’s new approach, misinformation experts have expressed concern that the new system could worsen the spread of false information and fake news across social platforms.
Photo: META
In a blog post on Thursday, Meta explained that using X’s algorithm would allow it to continuously improve its Community Notes feature, with the goal of enhancing its performance on Meta’s platforms over time. The company emphasized that this initiative would evolve based on feedback from users and real-world testing.
“We’re building this in the open while learning from contributors and observing its real-world impact,” Meta said in the post. “Although we don’t expect immediate perfection, we will continue refining and adjusting our approach as we gain more insights.”
Meta’s shift toward a more community-driven approach in moderating content signals a significant change in how it plans to handle misinformation moving forward.
