Meta Reports No Impact to Ad Spend from Fact-Checking Changes

Meta Defends Decision to End Fact-Checking Program

Meta maintains that its controversial choice to discontinue its fact-checking initiative has not resulted in a decrease in advertising revenue. During the Q4 2024 earnings call, CFO Susan Li reassured investors that advertiser demand remains robust.

Advertiser Spend Remains Strong

Li emphasized that the company’s dedication to brand safety has not been compromised despite the implemented changes. She indicated that no significant impact on advertiser spending has been observed following the content policy adjustments.

Community Notes as a Superior System

CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the community notes feature, which now serves as a replacement for traditional fact-checking. He believes this system is demonstrably “better” than the previous approach.

Acknowledging X’s Influence

Zuckerberg openly credited X with originating the concept behind community notes. He stated, “I’m not afraid to admit when someone does something that’s better than us.”

Combating Misinformation Remains a Priority

The executive refuted interpretations suggesting that ending fact-checking signifies a diminished concern for providing context or addressing misinformation. He asserted that this is inaccurate.

Zuckerberg explained that the community notes system is more effective than the prior fact-checking methods. He anticipates improvements to Meta’s product as a result.

Public Reaction and Memes

The decision to end fact-checking prompted a wave of online reactions, including numerous humorous and often provocative memes. Many of these memes focused on Zuckerberg himself.

Timing and Political Considerations

The timing of Meta’s decision, coinciding with Donald Trump’s return to power, has raised eyebrows. Republicans have consistently voiced concerns about perceived censorship on social media platforms when fact-checks were applied to their content.

A History of Feature Adoption

Meta’s adoption of X’s community notes as a replacement for its own fact-checking system aligns with the company’s established pattern of borrowing ideas from competitors.

This practice is reminiscent of when Meta integrated the Stories concept, originally popularized by Snap. Zuckerberg previously acknowledged this tendency during congressional antitrust hearings.

He admitted that Facebook had “certainly adapted” features pioneered by other companies. Currently, he is more forthcoming in acknowledging the source of ideas Meta incorporates.