Meta Ends US Fact-Checks Ahead of Trump Term

Social media giant Meta on Tuesday slashed its content moderation policies, including ending its US fact-checking program on Facebook and Instagram, in a major shift that conforms with the priorities of incoming president Donald Trump.

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"We're going to get rid of fact-checkers (that) have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they've created, especially in the US," Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a post.

Instead, Meta platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, "would use community notes similar to X (formerly Twitter), starting in the US," he added.

Meta's surprise announcement echoed long-standing complaints made by Trump's Republican Party and X owner Elon Musk about fact-checking, which many conservatives see as censorship.

They argue that fact-checking programs target right-wing voices, which has led to proposed laws in states like Florida and Texas to limit content moderation.

“This is cool,” Musk posted on his X platform after the announcement.

The shift came as the 40-year-old tycoon has been making efforts to reconcile with Trump since his election in November, including donating $1 million to his inauguration fund.

Trump has been a harsh critic of Meta and Zuckerberg for years, accusing the company of bias against him and threatening to retaliate against the tech billionaire once back in office.