Facebook’s New Guidelines, Censorship Get Different Reactions From Americans

Americans had mixed reactions to Meta’s decision to end its fact-checking program this week, with some telling Fox News Digital that the move was worrisome.

“Free speech should be absolute,” one respondent told Fox News Digital in Texas. “I don’t think anybody has the power to censor anybody.”

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Wednesday that he would end the fact-checking program and speech restrictions to “restore freedom of expression” on Facebook, Instagram and other Meta platforms, saying the current content moderation system has “gone too far.” Zuckerberg says the new Meta system will be similar to Elon Musk’s Community Notes.

Rudy told Fox News Digital: “I like the fact that they got rid of the fact checkers. The fact checkers didn’t do a lot of fact checking, it’s just who’s paying them. “I feel like they’re not being trusted. But I think it’s better than what they had.”

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Tuesday that his company will adopt a new fact-checking system similar to the community notes on Elon Musk’s X. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto/Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

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Other Americans told Fox News Digital that the ad was disappointing.

“This makes me sad, because you want all your social media to be as fact-checked as possible and get accurate information. I’m concerned that Facebook doesn’t go through that fact-checking process as much as it should. I believe,” Gregg told Fox News Digital.

Meta’s third-party vetting program was implemented after the 2016 election and was used to “manage content” on its platforms and run misinformation, mostly under “political pressure,” but the system has gone too far, he said. far”

He told Fox News Digital that many people have never heard of Meta Ads.

Facebook app on smartphone. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutson)

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“Honestly, a few years ago I probably would have said: Well, it’s a private company. They have the right to do what they want and people use their own minds to figure out what’s right and what’s not, the truth. . . . But, I’m a psychology student, and people always That they don’t stop and think, so maybe they want someone else to check on them, so, yes, it’s an issue,” Melissa said.

Fox News Digital asked Texas residents about Zuckerberg moving Meta’s content moderation team to their state.

“Yeah, we’ll give them a chance and see what the results are,” Greg said. “I’ve dropped all my social media, you know, just because it’s not vetted and I think the police haven’t caught up.”

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Another Texan, Madeleine, told Fox News Digital that Zuckerberg is more likely to move to Texas because businesses are “easier to run” in the state, and questioned his reasoning for moving operations from California.

Elizabeth Heckman reports from Texas.

Fox News’ Brooke Syngman contributed to this report.