Meta’s decision to reduce content moderation in the US reflects President-elect Donald Trump’s views on social media, according to whistleblower Frances Haugen.
Haugen, who exposed Facebook’s handling of user safety issues in 2021, stated that Trump believes social media should operate with minimal restrictions. She pointed out that Zuckerberg’s recent announcement about ending third-party fact-checking in the US aligns with Trump’s stance.
Meta’s move to drop fact-checkers and ease moderation policies follows Zuckerberg’s commitment to work with Trump on pushing back against global censorship, particularly in regions like Latin America, China, and Europe.
Haugen raised concerns about the potential global impact, especially in areas like the Global South, where Facebook has been criticized for spreading hate speech, as seen in Myanmar.
The oversight board of Meta, which includes experts like Michael McConnell, is expected to play a key role in addressing the human rights concerns arising from these changes.
However, critics, including the UK far-right monitoring group Hope Not Hate, warn of a rise in toxic content and the potential for increased violence, particularly from far-right groups.
Haugen also highlighted that Trump’s goal is to prevent Facebook from curbing the Maga movement’s use of social media. She predicts that Meta will act less and less on content moderation under the new administration.
In response to the changes, Nobel laureate Maria Ressa expressed concern about the dangers posed to journalism, democracy, and social media users, emphasizing the need for better transparency and algorithmic accountability.
