Meta Eases Hate Speech Guidelines, Follows X's Stance on Sensitive Topics
Meta has relaxed its hate speech rules, aligning more closely with the policies of Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter), particularly regarding topics like sexual orientation, gender identity, and immigration. The company has also shut down its fact-checking feature on social media platforms, according to reports.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta would remove restrictions on issues like immigration and gender, which he claims were out of step with mainstream discourse, especially following recent elections.
Under the new guidelines, Meta permits discussions that include allegations about mental illness related to gender or sexual orientation, citing political and religious debates around transgender issues and homosexuality. This means users can now refer to homosexual individuals as mentally ill on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
However, Meta maintains its stance against harmful stereotypes and extreme content, such as Holocaust denial or racist terms like "Blackface." The company also removed a key line from its policy explanation, which previously highlighted how hate speech could lead to real-world harm, including promoting violence and creating an atmosphere of exclusion.