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Meta Introduces Community Notes: A New Approach to Fact-Checking on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Meta Platforms’ business group is seen in Brussels, Belgium December 6, 2022. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, has announced plans to introduce a new Community Notes system on its platforms. This initiative represents a shift in how the company handles misinformation, replacing the previous third-party fact-checking model with a crowd-sourced approach.
How Meta's new community notes program might work as fact-checking ends for  Facebook, Instagram

According to Meta, the new system is designed to be more balanced than the external fact-checking program it is replacing. The company aims to make the process more transparent and inclusive by involving a wide range of users with different perspectives. Rather than relying on a select group of external organizations, this approach allows community members to contribute directly by adding context to posts.

Meta first shared its plans to move toward a community-based fact-checking system in January, stating that the transition would begin in the United States. On March 18, the company will start testing the system by allowing selected users to write and review notes on posts shared across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

This concept is similar to the Community Notes feature introduced by X, formerly known as Twitter, in 2021. By 2023, the feature had expanded significantly, becoming a widely used tool for addressing misinformation. It works because contributors—users approved to participate in the program—can add notes to posts that require clarification or additional context. However, these notes will only be visible to the public if a diverse group of contributors from different viewpoints rates them as “helpful.” This ensures that the information provided is balanced and not influenced by one-sided opinions.

So far, approximately 200,000 people in the U.S. have signed up to participate in the Community Notes program across Meta’s platforms. The company will gradually admit users from the waitlist, selecting them at random to ensure a variety of perspectives are represented. Before making any notes publicly available, Meta will test the writing and rating system to fine-tune its effectiveness.

By introducing this system, Meta aims to create a more community-driven approach to fact-checking, reducing reliance on external sources and giving users the power to contribute to a more informed online space. However, the success of the initiative will depend on how effectively contributors engage with the process and whether the rating system can filter out biased or inaccurate notes.

The testing phase will be key in determining the impact of Community Notes and whether it can successfully promote accuracy and transparency on social media. If it proves effective, this model could change how misinformation is addressed, shifting the responsibility from select fact-checkers to a larger community effort.

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