Facebook announces sweeping changes to content moderation policies, vows to reduce censorship

MENLO PARK, Calif. — Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Monday that the company will pivot away from its longstanding approach to content moderation, pledging to roll back extensive restrictions and reduce errors in censorship across its platforms, including Instagram and Threads. The changes, which Zuckerberg described as a “return to our roots,” reflect a broader shift in the company’s philosophy toward free expression and aim to simplify policies that have sparked criticism in recent years.

Zuckerberg’s statement outlined a six-part plan to overhaul Facebook’s content moderation systems, including eliminating fact-checkers, reducing automated filters, and reintroducing civic content to user feeds. The announcement comes amid ongoing debates about the balance between free speech and the need to curb harmful online content, a tension Zuckerberg acknowledged has shaped the company’s policies since 2016.

“We’ve reached a point where it’s just too many mistakes and too much censorship,” Zuckerberg said. “The recent elections also feel like a cultural tipping point toward once again prioritizing speech. We’re going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies, and restoring free expression on our platforms.”

Mark Zuckerberg has announced that he’s now ALLOWING free speech on his platforms…

Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/I70qVKPj4Q

— American AF 🇺🇸 (@iAnonPatriot) January 7, 2025

Phasing out fact-checkers and introducing community-driven moderation

One of the most striking changes will be the removal of Facebook’s third-party fact-checkers, which have been a cornerstone of the platform’s strategy to combat misinformation since 2016. Instead, the company plans to implement a “community notes” system similar to the approach used by X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Zuckerberg admitted that the reliance on fact-checkers has eroded user trust due to perceptions of political bias.

“The fact-checkers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created, especially in the US,” Zuckerberg said. “Over the next 12 months, we’re going to phase in a more comprehensive community notes system.”

This shift is aimed at decentralizing content review by allowing users to provide context on posts, a move Zuckerberg believes will reduce accusations of partisanship while still addressing concerns about misinformation.

Simplifying policies and dialing back automated filters

In another major change, Facebook will simplify its content policies, specifically easing restrictions on controversial topics like immigration and gender, which Zuckerberg said have become disconnected from “mainstream discourse.”

“What 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’s gone too far,” he said.

Automated filters, which Zuckerberg acknowledged are responsible for many erroneous content takedowns, will also be scaled back. Instead of preemptively scanning all posts for potential violations, Facebook will focus its filters on “high-severity” violations, such as illegal content. For less severe issues, the company will rely on user reports before taking action.

“The filters make mistakes, and they take down a lot of content that they shouldn’t,” Zuckerberg explained. “By dialing them back, we’re going to dramatically reduce the amount of censorship on our platforms.”

Reintroducing political and civic content

In response to user feedback, Facebook plans to phase political and civic content back into its feeds. This marks a reversal of a previous decision to downplay such content, which Zuckerberg said was made after complaints that political posts caused stress among users.

“It feels like we’re in a new era now, and we’re starting to get feedback that people want to see this content again,” Zuckerberg said, adding that the company will work to ensure these discussions remain constructive.

Relocating content moderation teams and pushing back on government censorship

To address concerns about bias in content moderation, Facebook will relocate its trust and safety teams from California to Texas. Zuckerberg suggested that this geographic shift could help rebuild trust among users by placing oversight in regions with different cultural and political perspectives.

The company also plans to take a more active role in resisting global government pressures to censor content. Zuckerberg specifically pointed to increasing restrictions in Europe, Latin America, and China, as well as past censorship demands from the U.S. government.

“By going after us and other American companies, it has emboldened other governments to go even further,” Zuckerberg said. “The only way that we can push back on this global trend is with the support of the U.S. government.”

Balancing free expression with safety

Zuckerberg acknowledged that the new approach will come with trade-offs. By reducing the scope of automated filters, some harmful content may remain on the platform longer, but he argued that this is necessary to avoid mistakenly silencing innocent users.

“There’s also a lot of illegal stuff that we still need to work very hard to remove,” he said. “But the bottom line is that after years of having our content moderation work focused primarily on removing content, it is time to focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our systems, and getting back to our roots about giving people voice.”

While Zuckerberg expressed optimism about the changes, he admitted that the transition will take time and will not eliminate all errors. Nevertheless, the announcement represents a significant departure from Facebook’s previous strategy and signals the company’s desire to rebuild trust with users by prioritizing free expression over heavy-handed moderation.

The move comes as platforms like X and emerging competitors such as Threads have rekindled debates over online speech, offering alternatives that emphasize user-driven content moderation.

“After years of controversy, Facebook’s pivot toward free expression signals a dramatic shift in Silicon Valley’s approach to online speech.”