Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, is moving its content moderation teams from California to other states, among which the “trust and safety” division will be relocated to Texas.
The move, announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday via a video, reflects the company’s shift toward “free expression.” He also criticized the U.S. and foreign governments for pressuring his company to censor some COVID-19 content during the pandemic.
Zuckerberg said 2024 U.S. election was “a cultural tipping point towards once again prioritizing speech.”
Joel Kaplan, Meta’s global affairs chief, echoed this sentiment, stating in a blog post that the move would “rebalance” the company’s content moderation approach. Speaking to Fox News, Kaplan underscored the need to rebuild trust among users. “We want people to feel their views are welcome, whether they’re discussing significant issues or sharing everyday thoughts,” Kaplan said.
Adjusting Policies
Beyond relocating teams, Meta plans to reduce reliance on fact-checkers and implement Community Notes, a crowd-sourced tool previously adopted by Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter).
The company will loosen restrictions on sensitive topics like immigration and gender, focusing moderation efforts on illegal content and severe policy violations, such as drugs, terrorism, and child online safety.
“The fact-checkers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they have created, especially in the U.S. …” Zuckerberg said. “What has started as a movement to be more inclusive has increasingly been used to shut down opinions and shut out people with different ideas, and it has gone too far.”
Meta’s changes appear to mirror Elon Musk’s X, which claimed to have prioritized free expression since its rebranding. Like Meta, Musk’s platform has embraced Community Notes and shifted operations to Texas.
According to the announcement, Meta will be partnering with President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration to limit restrictions on the company’s platforms, which have more than 3 billion users globally.
“The only way that we can push back on this global trend is with the support of the U.S. government,” Zuckerberg said.
