**Meta Unveils Community Notes to Replace Fact-Checking Initiative**
Meta is gearing up to roll out *Community Notes*, a crowdsourced tool for fact-checking intended to take the place of its external fact-checking team. The organization asserts that this novel system will deliver a “less biased” method for addressing misinformation.
Testing for Community Notes is set to commence on March 18 for U.S. users; however, this feature will not be visible to the public during the beta stage. Upon full rollout, users will notice small highlighted boxes situated beneath posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. They will also have the ability to add their own notes via drop-down menus across Meta’s platforms. These notes will remain anonymous and capped at 500 words.
“We anticipate Community Notes will exhibit less bias compared to the third-party fact-checking initiative it takes over, as it enables a greater number of individuals with varied viewpoints to provide context to posts,” Meta remarked. “This isn’t simply majority rules. Regardless of how many contributors concur on a note, it won’t be published unless those who typically disagree find it useful.”
### Influenced by X’s Fact-Checking Framework
Meta’s updated strategy draws inspiration from the Community Notes feature implemented by X (formerly Twitter), which is under the ownership of Elon Musk. The company plans to utilize X’s open-source algorithm as the groundwork for its own rating system, allowing for future advancements.
“Given that X’s algorithm and program information are open source—meaning they are free and accessible for anyone to utilize—we can build on X’s efforts, learn from academics who have analyzed it, and enhance the system for our platforms,” Meta clarified. “We’re not going to reinvent the wheel.”
### A Move Towards Free Expression
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced this shift in January, saying: “Fact-checkers have been excessively politically biased and have eroded more trust than they have fostered… It’s time to return to our fundamentals surrounding free expression.”
In February, Meta began to accept applications for its “Community Notes network,” encouraging users to join as fact-checking contributors on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Applicants needed to be at least 18 years of age, possess an account that is older than six months, and be in good standing. More than 200,000 individuals registered across Meta’s platforms, and many will soon receive notifications regarding their acceptance.
### Exclusions and Issues
Meta confirmed that Community Notes will not currently be applicable to paid advertisements, a decision that was leaked in January and sparked concerns regarding the company’s evolving moderation policies. Furthermore, posts that carry a note will not incur penalties like diminished visibility, a characteristic of Meta’s prior fact-checking system.
Through this transition, Meta seeks to establish a more transparent and community-oriented method of fact-checking, although the efficacy of Community Notes is yet to be determined.