President-elect Donald Trump applauded Meta’s decision to end its fact-checking program and restore more open speech on its platforms.
Key Facts:
• Meta ended its fact-checking program on Facebook, Instagram, and other services.
• Mark Zuckerberg said the company wants to “restore free expression” and focus on fewer moderation mistakes.
• Trump told Fox News Digital that Meta has “come a long way.”
• Meta will adopt a “Community Notes” model like the one used on X.
• UFC CEO Dana White, who supports Trump, joined Meta’s board this week.
The Rest of The Story:
Trump welcomed the news during an interview, praising Meta’s plan to shift away from the content management system it had used since 2016.
Meta executives admitted that their previous approach went too far and restricted too many posts.
Zuckerberg explained that the goal now is to “focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies, and restoring free expression.”
In place of the old system, Meta will rely on “Community Notes” to give users more context about certain posts.
This strategy mirrors tools on other platforms that encourage user feedback rather than heavy-handed intervention.
While Meta is easing up on speech policing, it will still remove content that involves terrorism, illegal drug activity, or child exploitation.
The company also intends to soften its rules on sensitive topics, including immigration, trans issues, and gender discussions, hoping to allow wider debate.
Joel Kaplan, Meta’s Chief Global Policy Director, added that better conversations can happen if people aren’t constantly worried about censorship.
Additionally, Meta wants to tailor the user experience by letting people decide if they want to see more political or policy-related content.
The Bottom Line:
Trump’s remarks suggest a friendlier relationship between his incoming administration and Meta.
With new leadership and board members, the company plans to create an environment closer to what it considers free expression.
Many observers will watch how this policy shift evolves, especially as the Trump administration takes office and pushes its own technology and business agenda.