On Tuesday, Meta announced a significant shift in its approach to U.S. content moderation, eliminating fact-checking while revealing plans to relocate its trust and safety teams. Perhaps most notably, the company updated its Hateful Conduct policy. As reported by Wired, many changes have been made, with some key highlights outlined below.
New sections regarding speech, whether written or visual, have been introduced:
Allegations of mental illness or abnormality based on gender or sexual orientation are permitted, considering political and religious discourse surrounding transgenderism and homosexuality, as well as common colloquial uses of terms like “weird.”
Content advocating for gender-based restrictions in military, law enforcement, and educational roles is also allowed, provided it is rooted in religious beliefs.
Notably, the explicit ban on dehumanizing references to transgender or non-binary individuals, such as referring to them as “it” or likening women to household objects, has been entirely removed.
The opening statement concerning the intent of the policies has been modified, now encompassing a broader scope, with new additions highlighted in bold:
Policies are designed to accommodate sex- or gender-specific language related to access to spaces limited by sex or gender, like restrooms, educational institutions, military roles, law enforcement, and health support groups. Additionally, discussions around political or religious topics, including transgender rights and immigration, may invoke exclusionary or derogatory language. Moreover, expressions of frustration or cursing at a gender during romantic disputes are also acknowledged. Our policies are crafted to permit such speech.
The previous prohibition against targeting individuals or groups with conspiracy theories about the coronavirus has similarly been revoked.
A previously linked 2017 blog post addressing the “hard questions” around hate speech has been taken down, with references to hate speech now rebranded as “hateful conduct.”
While the policy continues to disallow content that denies individuals access to services based on protected characteristics, a new exception has been introduced (highlighted in bold):
…except for sex or gender-based exclusion from spaces commonly restricted by sex or gender, including restrooms, sports leagues, health support groups, and select educational institutions.
Even prior to these modifications, the LGBTQ+ media advocacy group GLAAD highlighted last year that Meta frequently did not enforce its hate speech policies effectively. The recent removal of these protective measures raises concerns about the potential for increased targeting of LGBTQ individuals, women, immigrants, and other marginalized communities.
“With the absence of essential hate speech regulations, Meta is effectively endorsing hostility towards LGBTQ people and other vulnerable groups. These policy shifts normalize anti-LGBTQ sentiments for profit, undermining user safety and genuine freedom of expression. Fact-checking and hate speech policies are vital for safeguarding free speech,” stated GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis.
In a statement, Meta’s new policy chief Joel Kaplan asserted, “We are eliminating numerous restrictions on discussions related to immigration, gender identity, and gender, which often dominate political discourse. It is unjust that allowable statements on television or in Congress cannot be made on our platforms.” Wired also reported that the changes took many partner organizations by surprise, with one unnamed editor expressing concern that the impact of this decision could ultimately exhaust their resources.
