Social media giant Meta is testing Community Notes, its X-like fact-checking system, from March 18, across its family of apps in the US. Unlike traditional fact-checking that relied on independent media organizations, Community Notes will allow users to collaboratively write and rate fact-checks on posts. However, the feature will initially be rolled out in a limited capacity, with notes not appearing publicly at first as the company refines the system.
Meta first introduced third-party fact-checking services in December 2016, amid growing concerns over the spread of misinformation following the 2016 US presidential election. The program involved over 100 fact-checking organizations, with these external partners responsible for identifying false or misleading content. Fact-checked posts often had their distribution reduced, with warnings added to prevent further spread. However, this January, Meta ended its partnership with third-party fact-checkers, claiming that expert organizations were not immune to political bias. The decision was seen as part of a broader effort to decentralize fact-checking and increase transparency in how misinformation is flagged on its platforms.
The Community Notes feature is now designed as a crowdsourced approach to fact-checking, so users can write, submit, and rate notes on posts that may contain misleading or false information. The system is modeled after X’s Community Notes, which has been used as an alternative to centralized fact-checking since Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform.
Meta has confirmed that any US-based user can sign up to participate in the program, but initial access will be restricted. Contributors will be admitted gradually and randomly as the company refines its rating system and note-writing process. Unlike previous fact-checking efforts, Community Notes will not directly impact the visibility of posts, meaning flagged content will not be downranked or removed from feeds. Instead, notes will serve as additional context rather than a mechanism for limiting the reach of misinformation.
Users who wish to contribute must meet certain eligibility criteria, such as being over 18 years of age, enabling two-factor authentication, and having a Meta account in good standing for at least six months. The system will also require notes to remain within a 500-character limit and include a source link to provide context or evidence. Importantly, notes will only be published if contributors with a range of perspectives agree on their usefulness. In addition to this, contributors’ names will not be displayed publicly, ensuring that ratings focus on content rather than the person writing the note. At launch, Community Notes will be available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and Portuguese, with plans for additional languages in the future.
While Meta has positioned Community Notes as a more scalable alternative to traditional fact-checking, its effectiveness remains uncertain. X’s version of Community Notes has faced significant limitations, including slow response times and inconsistent fact-checking standards. It remains to be seen whether Meta’s implementation of the system has similar drawbacks. It remains to be seen whether Community Notes will effectively curb misinformation, given that fact-checked posts will not be penalized under the new model. Previously, Meta’s system downranked false content, making it less visible in users’ feeds. Without this enforcement mechanism, misleading information could continue to spread widely, even with added context from Community Notes.
