Meta Platforms Inc. has significantly revised its content moderation strategy for the United States, as of Tuesday. The company has moved away from its previous approach to fact-checking, reorganized its trust and safety teams, and made notable updates to its Hateful Conduct policy. Wired’s report highlights several key changes in the policy that are particularly noteworthy.

Two new sections that clarify permissible speech—both written and visual—have been added:

1. Allegations regarding mental illness or abnormality based on gender or sexual orientation are now permitted, in light of ongoing political and religious discussions surrounding transgender issues and homosexuality, as well as the casual use of terms like “weird.”

2. Content advocating for gender-specific limitations within military, law enforcement, and educational roles is now allowed. This also extends to sexual orientation, provided the arguments are rooted in religious beliefs.

A prior section that explicitly prohibited dehumanizing references to transgender or non-binary individuals, such as referring to them as “it,” has been entirely removed. Additionally, references to women as “household objects or property” have also been eliminated.

The introductory statement defining what the policies aim to accommodate has undergone changes. The previous focus on health and support groups has expanded (with new additions in bold):

People sometimes utilize sex- or gender-exclusive language when discussing access to spaces often determined by sex or gender, such as bathrooms, specific educational institutions, military, law enforcement, or teaching roles, as well as health or support groups. In certain instances, exclusionary or derogatory language may also arise in discussions surrounding political or religious topics, including transgender rights and immigration. Lastly, individuals may express frustration towards a specific gender during romantic breakups. Our policies are crafted to allow for these forms of expression.

The earlier prohibition against targeting individuals or groups with claims regarding the novel coronavirus has also been rescinded.

Furthermore, a link to a 2017 blog post addressing the “hard questions” Meta encounters concerning hate speech has been removed. Some mentions of “hate speech” have been updated to “hateful conduct.”

While the policy continues to assert that content denying access to spaces and social services based on protected characteristics is prohibited, a new exception has been added (with the new text in bold):

…except for sex or gender-based exclusion from spaces typically restricted by sex or gender, such as restrooms, sports leagues, health and support groups, and specific educational institutions.

Prior to these policy updates, the LGBTQ+ media advocacy organization GLAAD reported that Meta frequently failed to enforce its hate speech regulations effectively. The removal of these previously established protections raises concerns over the increased risk of online harassment.

GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis expressed serious concerns: “Without these necessary hate speech and other policies, Meta is giving the green light for people to target LGBTQ people, women, immigrants, and other marginalized groups with violence, vitriol, and dehumanizing narratives. With these changes, Meta is continuing to normalize anti-LGBTQ hatred for profit — at the expense of its users and true freedom of expression. Fact-checking and hate speech policies protect free speech.”

Meta’s Oversight Board has stated it will actively monitor the situation due to the potential for increased harm. Co-chair Helle Thorning-Schmidt emphasized in an interview with the BBC, “We’re very concerned about gender rights, LGBTQ+ rights, trans people’s rights on the platforms, because we are seeing many instances where hate speech can lead to real-life harm, so we will be watching that space very carefully.”

In a note from Joel Kaplan, Meta’s new policy chief, he articulated, “We’re getting rid of a number of restrictions on topics like immigration, gender identity, and gender that are the subject of frequent political discourse and debate. It’s not right that things can be said on TV or the floor of Congress, but not on our platforms.” Wired also reported that the changes have “blindsided” organizations previously collaborating with Meta on moderation efforts, with one unnamed fact-checking editor stating the decision’s impact “is going to eventually drain us out.”

Update, January 8th: Added quote from Helle Thorning-Schmidt, co-chair of the Meta Oversight Board.
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