Meta replaces U.S. fact-checking program with Community Notes

Meta has officially moved forward with phasing out third-party fact-checking in the U.S., now rolling out its new “Community Notes” system across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. These notes are starting to appear on selected posts, visible underneath the original content with a message indicating that a community note has been added. Users can tap on the note to view more information.

According to Meta, this shift means that fact-check labels from third-party sources will no longer be applied to posts in the U.S. Instead, context will be provided by notes created and rated by a community of contributors. This rollout will happen gradually as Meta continues to refine the system over the coming weeks and months.

However, a key limitation is that Community Notes will only be visible to users in the U.S., leaving international users without any fact-checking system—an oversight that critics see as a serious flaw. Meta has indicated that the program is still being developed, so changes may come later.

Meta’s Global Affairs Chief Joel Kaplan confirmed last Friday that the U.S. fact-checking program would be completely shut down by Monday, meaning no more new fact checks or fact-checkers.

This move appears to align with former President Donald Trump’s past demands to end fact-checking, a strategic decision by Meta that may be aimed at currying favour with Trump. 

There’s growing concern, though, as Community Notes on X (formerly Twitter) have shown mixed results. Because they require agreement from users with differing political views to go live, many notes never make it to the public. Around 85% of Community Notes on X reportedly go unpublished, allowing questionable content to remain unaddressed. Meta plans to use a similar system, raising doubts about its effectiveness—especially given Meta's much larger user base.

Still, Meta is pressing on with the rollout, framing it as a business decision. 

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