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Meta will begin testing the crowdsourced program that aims to prevent misinformation on Tuesday, Mar. 18, the tech giant said in a blog post on Thursday, Mar. 13. The move comes as Meta replaces its third-party fact-checking program in the US for Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
Community Notes are part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's broader shift toward what he calls "free expression" on the company’s platforms.
"We’re going to take time to do this right," Meta's blog post said. "Around 200,000 potential contributors in the US have signed up so far across all three apps, and the waitlist remains open for those who wish to take part in the program."
Meta logo.
Notes won't immediately appear on content, as Meta plans to gradually approve contributors and refine the system before making it public. The company said notes will only be published if contributors with differing viewpoints agree they provide helpful context, a safeguard meant to reduce bias.
Meta will use the open-source algorithm from the Community Notes system on Twitter, which Musk decided to rebrand as X. The rating system is expected to be modified by Meta over time.
The rollout of Community Notes marks the official end of Meta's third-party fact-checking program, a system the company introduced in 2016 to curb misinformation. Zuckerberg said the program failed in its goal, arguing it had become "too politically biased" and had "destroyed more trust than it created, especially in the US."
Meta's shift away from fact-checking is part of a broader overhaul of its content moderation policies. The company recently scaled back automated removals and will now only focus on illegal and high-severity violations, such as terrorism and child exploitation.
Less severe issues will require user reports before any action is taken. Meta also plans to bring back more political content to user feeds after years of limiting its reach.
Zuckerberg has been criticized for abandoning fact-checking, with opponents saying the billionaire is using the move to appease President Donald Trump. Meta donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund and added Trump ally and UFC president Dana White to its board of directors.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Tesla CEO Elon Musk were among the tech billionaires who were invited guests at President Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025.
Meta also announced in January that it would lay off thousands of low-performing workers. Zuckerberg told staff that he was expecting an "intense year" for Meta, citing the company's focus on artificial intelligence, smart glasses, and the future of social media.
For now, Community Notes will only be available in the US. Notes aren't expected to influence how widely a post is distributed.
Meta has not announced when the system will expand globally, but until then, its fact-checking program will remain in place for other countries.
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