Changes are awaiting us. On January 8, 2025, Mark Zuckerberg made a statement that instantly caught the attention of millions of social media users around the world. Meta has announced radical changes to its approach to content moderation. The new rules will be aimed at giving users more freedom to express their thoughts, reducing the number of unfair blocking and deletion of posts. However, experts warn that this step may hide serious risks.
Main changes in Meta’s content moderation
The main innovation announced by Meta is a reduction in dependence on automated systems for searching and blocking content. Instead of using strict algorithms, the company plans to integrate a more flexible moderation system that takes into account the context of posts. For example, keywords and phrases will no longer automatically lead to content removal. User complaints will begin to play an important role: moderators will pay more attention to manual review of controversial cases.
In addition, Meta intends to focus on transparency. They promise that users will be able to receive detailed information about the reasons for blocking content and file appeals in a simplified format. It was also announced that a board of independent experts will be created to review the most controversial cases. These changes, according to the company, should make moderation more fair and predictable.
How has censorship worked before?
Before the recent changes, moderation on Facebook and Instagram relied heavily on automated systems. Algorithms scanned content for stop words, banned images, and other triggers that could violate the platform’s rules. Image recognition systems were used that could flag innocent photos as banned. Robots automatically blocked posts if they received a large number of reports, even if they did not violate the rules.
In some cases, censorship focused on political topics, removing content that contradicted the company’s current position. Algorithms reduced the reach of posts that did not violate the rules but were deemed “undesirable” to the audience.
Automated moderation allowed the company to quickly process huge amounts of data. However, it also often caused unfair blocking. As a result, users faced restrictions on freedom of speech. These problems became one of the reasons for revising the company’s policy.
Don’t rush to rejoice: the main risks of abolishing self-censorship
Communications experts are not as optimistic as Facebook commentators. Thus, the abolition of full-fledged moderation threatens the following risks:
- Control weakening can lead to an increase in the number of insults, discriminatory statements and disinformation.
- Less automatic moderation – more opportunities for the dissemination of false information.
- Manual verification of complaints requires significant resources. If the team fails, chaos will ensue.
- Reducing the level of moderation can open the door to phishing schemes, fraud and spam.
And most importantly – it is not a fact that innovations will take root. It is quite possible that in a year Meta will return to robotic moderation, and then you will be banned for old posts written during the period of relaxed censorship.
How to manage pages on Facebook and Instagram to avoid being banned?
Even with the new rules, it is important to remember that complete freedom of speech in social media is a myth. Here are some tips to help keep your pages safe:
- Before publishing, make sure that the information is reliable and has confirmation from reliable sources.
- Watch your language and use correct wording to avoid accusations of inciting hatred.
- Do not ignore the platform rules, read and follow Meta’s current recommendations.
- Respond to complaints. If your post has been deleted, file an appeal and clarify the reasons for the blocking.
Even after the weakening of control over content, it is still important to follow the rules. This will help minimize the risk of blocking a page or deleting publications.