Meta has announced the upcoming launch of its new Community Notes feature on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, set to begin testing in the United States on March 18. This initiative signifies Meta’s shift away from its traditional third-party fact-checking program, which it plans to retire in favor of a crowd-sourced model.
Community Notes aims to enable users to provide additional context on posts, similar to existing functionalities seen elsewhere. The company stated, “We anticipate that Community Notes will offer a more balanced approach than previous third-party fact-checking, as it encourages broader participation and diverse perspectives.”
During the initial phase, notes contributed by users will not be made public. Meta will randomly select participants from a pool of approximately 200,000 volunteers across its platforms to ensure thorough internal testing before any public rollout.
Meta emphasized its commitment to a thoughtful deployment process, stating, “We’re going to take time to do this right.” Eligibility to participate will require contributors to be over 18, hold an account in good standing for at least six months, and either have verified phone numbers or be enrolled in two-factor authentication.
Contributors will be limited to 500 characters per note and must provide source links. To promote impartiality, contributor identities will remain anonymous initially. The feature will support six languages commonly used in the U.S.: English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and Portuguese.
Notably, contributors will be restricted from annotating advertisements but may provide context on posts by Meta, public figures, and political entities. Unlike previous fact-checks, Community Notes will not affect a post’s reach or visibility.
Meta clarified, “This isn’t majority rules. A note won’t be published simply based on how many contributors agree; it must also receive endorsement from those who typically disagree.”
To develop its rating system, Meta will utilize an open-source algorithm to measure agreement from diverse viewpoints, taking into account contributors’ past ratings and historical disagreements. The company plans to refine this system through testing and feedback.
Meta stated, “We’re building this in the open while learning from contributors and observing its real-world application.” The company recognized that the journey will have its challenges but is committed to ongoing enhancements.
Once Meta is confident in the Community Notes system, it will completely replace the existing third-party fact-checking measures in the United States, ceasing the application of new fact-check labels. Former fact-checkers will still have the opportunity to contribute to the new system.
Looking ahead, Meta expressed intentions to eventually extend this approach globally, although it will not be implemented immediately. In the interim, the third-party fact-checking program will remain operational outside the United States.
