Meta’s Hate Speech Rules Consequences for Creators and Audiences

Playing By Platform Rules

Creators’ economic dependence on Meta’s services – Facebook, Instagram, Threads – means they must vigilantly adhere to the platforms’ community standards, which delineate violent, deceptive, sexually exploitative, and otherwise prohibited content. But these rules are far from clear, and they have been unevenly applied.

Another Adpocalypse?

The wildcard in Meta’s "new political era" is advertising. As media scholar Siva Vaidhyanathan reminded Wednesday in a critique of Zuckerberg, "No reputable company wants its product or service placed next to a gruesome image of sexual exploitation, violence or bigotry." Is another Adpocalypse – wherein advertisers withdraw platform funding en masse – on the horizon?

For Underrepresented Creators, the Moderation Overhaul Likely Amounts to Greater Risk Within an Already-Precarious Career Economy

For underrepresented creators, the moderation overhaul likely amounts to greater risk within an already-precarious career economy.

What’s at Stake

The full impact of Meta’s X-inspired "community notes" approach to moderation remains to be seen, but social media creators across Meta properties are likely to feel this shift acutely.

The Risks of "Community Notes"

Meta’s proposed solution is a more robust reliance on its "community." To be sure, online collectives harbor the potential to manage "social relations, conflict, and civil liberties," as my colleague J. Nathan Matias wrote in a 2019 study of volunteer governance on Reddit. But given how few shared cultural norms exist across Meta’s diverse communities of creators, this approach seems impractical, at best.

Conclusion

What Meta – and X, for that matter – frame as radical free speech is likely to entrench inequalities within the creator economy.

FAQs

• What is the impact of Meta’s plans to dismantle its fact-checking program?
  The impact is concerning, as it may disrupt advertising economies, digital labor markets, and broader democratic discourse.
• How will the "community notes" approach to moderation affect underrepresented creators?
  The moderation overhaul will likely amount to greater risk within an already-precarious career economy for underrepresented creators.
• What are the risks of relying on online collectives for moderation?
  The approach may lead to "mass reports" and "organized flagging," which can be used as a form of harassment.
• Will the changes lead to more sensationalized content?
  Yes, the removal of guidelines for sensitive issues and the shift towards "community notes" may encourage the creation of more sensationalized content.