Meta has updated its moderation policies to permit its billions of users on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Threads to label others as mentally ill based on their sexuality or gender identity. The revised guidelines, announced Tuesday, maintain a ban on insults targeting someone’s intellect or mental health, as with previous policies. However, they now include an exception for accusations against LGBTQ individuals, allowing such claims due to political and religious discussions around transgenderism and homosexuality, as well as the casual use of terms like “weird.”
The updated hate speech policies are part of Meta's larger overhaul of its approach to moderating online content. CEO Mark Zuckerberg also announced the replacement of the company's fact-checking system, which previously relied on verified organizational partners, with a community-driven model similar to X’s Community Notes. This system enables users to propose “notes” on posts, with public visibility determined by user votes. Zuckerberg linked these changes to “recent elections” and a societal shift toward prioritizing free expression.
