Have you heard the latest update from Meta? The social giant has recently announced the transition from its long-standing fact-checking program to a new feature called Community Notes. Here’s what you need to know and why we remain confident in Meta’s paid advertising campaign offering.
Background
In 2016, Meta enlisted the expertise of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) to combat misinformation on its platforms. The system worked by identifying and reviewing content for deception, limiting its visibility to audiences and is labeled with a warning1. While user surveys revealed widespread appreciation for this approach, Meta announced on January 7th that it would phase out fact-checking in favor of a new model: Community Notes.2
Community Notes
So, what exactly is Community Notes? This new feature allows users to decide if information is inaccurate. While details on how this feature will operate on Facebook and Instagram are forthcoming, it is expected to function similarly to the program on X. On X, a community of approved contributors use drop down boxes to provide a note of additional context and sources where it is deemed necessary, and other contributors can then submit feedback on the note. It relies on an algorithm to keep feedback diverse and applicable across users.3 The goal is to give users more freedom to decide on what to consume and to mitigate falsely reported content.
What This Means for Advertisers
While Meta’s transition to Community Notes has sparked some debate, we are confident that it will have minimal impact on paid advertising campaigns. The changes primarily affect organic content and user interactions, leaving Meta’s robust suite of brand safety tools intact. Meta continues to provide advertisers with comprehensive tools to maintain brand integrity and safety, including:
Block Lists: Avoiding content categories or publishers that do not align with your brand.
Inventory Filters: Ensuring ads appear in appropriate content environments.
Content Exclusions: Customizing where your ads are displayed.4
In addition, our dedicated partner team at Meta remains an invaluable resource, helping us monitor platform updates and ensure our strategies remain effective.
Looking Ahead
At Butler/Till, we are always proactive, anticipating changes and adapting strategies to ensure our clients’ success. While Meta’s move to Community Notes is noteworthy, it does not alter our ability to deliver impactful campaigns that resonate with the right audiences.
Do you have questions about how this shift may impact you? Our Social team is here to help. Reach out today!
Sources
https://www.facebook.com/formedia/blog/third-party-fact-checking-how-it-works
https://about.fb.com/news/2025/01/meta-more-speech-fewer-mistakes/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-community-notes-twitter-x-facebook-instagram/
https://www.facebook.com/business/help/1926878614264962?id=1769156093197771
Contributors: Jennie Giardino
