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MEPs have given a mixed reaction to plans by Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg to overhaul content moderation on Facebook, Instagram and Threads.
Zuckerberg said Meta is abandoning the use of independent fact checkers on Facebook and Instagram, replacing them with X-style “community notes” where commenting on the accuracy of posts is left to users.
In a video posted alongside a blog post by the company on Tuesday, chief executive Zuckerberg said third-party moderators were too politically biased and it was time to get back to our roots around free expression.
S&D MEPs are less than impressed and have urged Meta to fulfil its obligations under the EU’s Digital Services Act and the Code of Practice on Disinformation.
They call on the European Commission to ensure that tech giants like Meta do not undermine the EU’s regulatory framework, in light of the upcoming US administration and potential policy changes driven by the election of Donald Trump.
Alex Saliba, S&D MEP and vice-president for Digital Agenda, said: “When Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta would shift its policy on disinformation – moving away from fact-checking and towards community notes, similar to what Elon Musk’s X employs – he explicitly referenced the EU’s regulatory efforts to protect users and society.”
“He perceives the election of Donald Trump and the upcoming US administration as an opportunity to push back on rules and regulations of US Big Tech companies. With a more lenient approach and less strict content moderation, this policy change raises serious concerns about Meta’s obligations under the EU’s Digital acquis.”
“Meta has signed the Code of Practice on Disinformation, and as a Very Large Online Platform under the Digital Services Act, it is required to report every six months on its efforts to combat disinformation. Within the EU, Meta has a legal obligation to take a risk-based approach and mitigate against election manipulation, cyber violence against women and harm to minors.”
“Zuckerberg’s announcement frames this policy shift as a return to freedom of expression, but, in Europe, it must be carefully balanced against potential negative side effects.”
“The new European Commission, especially vice-president Henna Virkkunen, must hold Meta and other tech giants accountable, preventing them from using the Trump election as a pretext to reset online regulations in the US and globally. The protection of European citizens and society online is at stake, as is the EU’s reputation as a global leader in tech regulation,” he added.
But Assita Kanko, the coordinator of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group in the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee, wholeheartedly welcomed the move.
The MEP said this will allow users in the US to take more control over the moderation of online content.
Kanko said:”Freedom of speech is a precious asset. Meta has recognised the deep flaws in the current content moderation system, which is plagued by political bias and a worrying erosion of public trust. Mark Zuckerberg’s decision is a decisive break from top-down censorship and empowers individuals to take ownership of the online conversation.”
“Censorship works even when it is only considered as a possibility. We in the ECR Group now look forward to seeing how the European Commission will respond to the changes announced for the US. Moving to a user-driven model is the right way to promote transparency, accountability and the most important principle of all: the right to speak freely. The commission should carefully look at this and update existing legislation.”
“We believe in the power of open dialogue and reject the notion that anyone, state or company, should have the power to silence or dictate what is said. In Europe, we know that the future of democracy depends on the ability of individuals to express themselves freely without fear of censorship or manipulation,” he added.
The ECR Group says it has always been committed to safeguarding freedom of expression and promoting open debate. Kanko stressed that these principles must remain at the forefront of European policy-making as digital platforms evolve.
