Meta will battle misinformation by fact-checking content on Threads

Meta’s freshest addition, Threads, was released earlier this summer, and now it’s gearing up for a European launch. This social media app, born as a response to Elon Musk’s X, is consistently rolling out updates and features. One such addition is “Tags,” aiming to simplify how users categorize and discover content. But the latest move from Threads is an effort to step up content moderation on the platform.As per Engadged reports, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, shared that the company is developing a fact-checking program. While the details of the program are yet to be laid out, Mosseri mentions that Threads will “match fact-check ratings from Facebook or Instagram to Threads.”

Presently, Threads doesn’t allow fact-checkers to rate content directly. Instead, when something is flagged as false on Instagram or Facebook, those fact-checker ratings will spill over onto Threads. Mosseri’s vision is for fact-checking partners to have the ability to review and rate misinformation within the app.

This fact-checking program is anticipated to roll out early next year. Meta explains that third-party fact-checking partners will identify and review content circulating on Threads. Users will have the autonomy to adjust the default level of “demotions on fact-checked content” in their feeds—increasing, lowering, or maintaining it. If a user decides to see less sensitive content on Instagram, these preferences will carry over to their Threads view.

Social media platforms are under pressure to fortify their defenses against the spread of misinformation. The introduction of a fact-checking system aligns with recent moves by Meta, such as blocking certain words “previously linked” to misinformation on the platform when introducing a search tool.

While offering a fact-checking feature is a notable move, it doesn’t necessarily mean Threads is gunning to be the new hub for digital news. Elon Musk’s X, on the other hand, has set its sights on that goal, marking a year since Elon Musk ascended the Twitter throne.