The fight against misinformation on social media has always been tricky and Meta (formerly Facebook Inc.) has had its fair share of controversy. But now, in a surprising shift, the tech giant is rolling out a feature inspired by X (formerly Twitter): Community Notes.
Starting March 18, Meta will begin testing this feature across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads in the United States. If you’re wondering what this means for how content is moderated on your timeline, or whether this will be a better alternative to traditional fact-checking, you’re not alone. In this article, we break down what Community Notes are, how they’ll work on Meta platforms, and what users should expect during this test phase.
What Are Community Notes?
Originally introduced by X (Twitter) as a way to let users collaboratively add context to potentially misleading posts, Community Notes rely on crowd-sourced moderation instead of official fact-checkers or platform moderators. The idea is that notes written and rated by contributors from diverse viewpoints will offer balanced and more trustworthy context to social media content.
Meta is adopting this concept to replace parts of its third-party fact-checking program, which it has relied on since 2016. According to the company, the traditional approach proved to be “prone to bias” a criticism that has long plagued both internal and external fact-checking methods.
How Meta’s Community Notes Will Work
Meta is still in the early stages of this rollout, and the Community Notes feature will not be immediately visible to the public. Instead, the company is testing the writing and rating systems with a selected group of contributors.
Here’s what we know about how it’ll work:
Contributor Access
- Around 200,000 people have signed up for the waitlist to become Community Notes contributors.
- Not everyone will get access right away but contributors will be randomly and gradually admitted over time.
What Contributors Can Do
- Contributors can write and rate notes that add context to posts they believe may be misleading.
- These notes won’t be published unless contributors with diverse viewpoints agree on the content.
- Notes must be factual, concise (under 500 characters), and include credible source links.
Anonymity and Privacy
- Initially, notes will not show author names, a design choice intended to promote unbiased rating.
- Meta wants readers to focus on the helpfulness of the note, not who wrote it.
Eligibility Criteria for Contributors
To become a Community Notes contributor, users must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have a Meta account that’s over six months old and in good standing
- Enable two-factor authentication or verify their phone number
Where Will Community Notes Appear?
While the program starts small, Meta has big plans. Here’s where Community Notes will (eventually) show up:
- Regular posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads
- Content from public figures, including politicians and Meta executives
- Trending posts and viral content
- Not on ads (for now)—contributor notes won’t be allowed on advertisements at launch
Meta says the feature will support multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Portuguese, with plans to expand further as the program evolves.
Why Is Meta Ditching Third-Party Fact-Checkers in the U.S.?
When Meta introduced fact-checking in 2016, it partnered with verified third-party organizations to flag misinformation. But the system has drawn criticism, especially in politically sensitive contexts.
In a recent blog post, Meta admitted that even expert fact-checkers bring personal biases to the table. “That’s not how it played out, particularly in the United States,” the company said. This is likely one reason Meta believes a community-driven model might be more effective and perhaps more transparent.
Despite this shift in the U.S., Meta confirmed that traditional third-party fact-checking will continue in other countries, at least for now.
Case Study: How X’s (Twitter’s) Community Notes Work
To understand what Meta is aiming for, let’s look at how Community Notes function on X:
- Crowd-sourced moderation: Any eligible contributor can suggest a note.
- Algorithm-driven ratings: Notes are published only when users from diverse political and ideological backgrounds rate them as helpful.
- Public transparency: X makes its algorithm open-source, something Meta says it will also do.
While X’s system isn’t perfect, it has seen some success in curbing the spread of false information, particularly around sensitive topics like elections and public health.
If Meta can replicate or improve on this model, it could dramatically change how we view moderation and misinformation on its platforms.
Challenges and Concerns
As promising as Community Notes may sound, the approach isn’t without its pitfalls:
Potential Bias in Contributor Selection
Who gets access first? And how do we ensure the contributor pool is truly diverse?
Lack of Author Transparency
While anonymity can reduce bias, it could also make it harder to assess the credibility of contributors.
Limited Global Availability
Right now, Community Notes are U.S.-only. It’s unclear how long users in other regions will have to wait.
Risk of Misinformation Still Exists
As the system depends on consensus, some nuanced or emerging issues may fall through the cracks.
Meta’s decision to lean into a crowd-sourced fact-checking model is bold but potentially game-changing. If done right, Community Notes could be a more democratic, transparent way to combat misinformation on its platforms.
Would you trust fact-checking from other users more than traditional experts?
Should social media platforms give more power to communities when tackling misinformation?
Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on TechCity’s socials.