Mark Zuckerberg says users may leave Meta after fact-checking shutdown for ‘virtue signaling’

Chesnot/Getty

Mark Zuckerberg dismisses concerns over users leaving after Meta ends U.S. fact-checking.Meta plans to replace third party fact-checking with a crowdsourced Community Notes system like X’s.Zuckerberg is confident Community Notes will improve user experience and attract new users.

Mark Zuckerberg dismissed concerns about users leaving Meta platforms in response to the company’s decision to end its U.S. fact-checking program, saying any exits would be “virtue signaling.”

In a reply on Threads to a user’s post criticizing Meta’s influence and suggesting that people feel trapped on the platform, Zuckerberg struck a defiant tone.

“No – I’m counting on these changes actually making our platforms better,” he wrote.

I think Community Notes will be more effective than fact-checkers, reducing the number of people whose accounts get mistakenly banned is good, people want to be able to discuss civic topics and make arguments that are in the mainstream of political discourse, etc. Some people may leave our platforms for virtue signaling, but I think the vast majority and many new users will find that these changes make the products better.

Zuckerberg’s response to the Threads user named Mary-Frances Makichen, who has 253 followers and is a “Spiritual Director” and author according to their bio, came just one day after Meta announced it would replace its third-party fact-checking partnerships with a crowdsourced Community Notes system similar to the one used by X.

Mass departures from social media platforms for symbolic reasons are not unprecedented.

On Election Day in the US, more than a quarter million X users deleted their accounts in protest against owner Elon Musk’s deepening ties to the Trump administration.

Zuckerberg, however, appears unfazed, betting that Community Notes will enhance Meta’s user experience and attract new audiences rather than drive them away.

If you’re a current or former Meta employee, contact this reporter from a nonwork device securely on Signal at +1-408-905-9124 or email him at pranavdixit@protonmail.com.