Meta has made significant changes to its hateful conduct policy, allowing users to post content that was previously banned. The updated guidelines now permit references to women as “household objects” and to transgender or non-binary individuals as “it.” This shift marks a considerable loosening of restrictions, especially regarding discussions on gender and sexual orientation, as the company now allows “allegations of mental illness” in political and religious debates surrounding these issues.
Additionally, Meta announced the elimination of independent fact-checkers in the U.S., opting for user-generated “community notes” as a new means to provide context on posts. The automated systems that enforce policy compliance will now focus solely on extreme violations, potentially leading to a decrease in the removal of harmful content, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
These policy updates appear to be a strategic move to align with conservative voices, particularly in an effort to appeal to figures like Donald Trump, who welcomed the changes during a recent press conference. Critics have expressed concerns that this shift could lead to an increase in hate speech and misinformation across Meta’s platforms, given the newfound leniency towards previously regulated content.