Mark Zuckerberg Announces Changes to Facebook and Instagram Algorithms
Mark Zuckerberg has shared a video on his official Facebook page, announcing upcoming changes to the algorithms of Facebook, Instagram, and other Meta platforms. In the video, Zuckerberg explains that Meta's team had chosen to censor, moderate, and filter posts and links shared on its social media platforms using severe fact-checking procedures or whenever the content is deemed sensitive or shocking.
However, the Facebook founder explains that these methods have hindered the exchange of information and constructive interaction more than they have served them. They have also severely limited internet users' freedom of expression, especially in the political domain, with Zuckerberg stating, "It has proven impractical to draw a red line between what constitutes political content or not."
He adds that even if his technical censorship methods fail at a rate of 1%, the repercussions are still severe and affect millions of users. A new algorithm reform is thus announced through his statements.
Meta has implemented a new moderation architecture that represents a rather innovative approach to political content on social platforms. The tripartite system, which comes in limited, standard, and enhanced versions, constitutes a significant advance in algorithmic information processing. It is assumed that in restricted mode, the algorithm significantly reduces the visibility of political content in news feeds and suggestions. It is possible that other modes expose users to a much more abundant political content.
The establishment of these visibility levels also gives Meta a certain technical and political flexibility in administering its two platforms. In response to regulators, the company could now precisely modulate its level of intervention on political content, thus preventing allegations of censorship while preserving some editorial control. This algorithmic adaptability represents a privileged instrument during negotiations with regulatory authorities, facilitating rapid changes in response to legal and political imperatives.
Organizational transformations within Meta are tracing a new path for the company. The change in presidency of international affairs, with Joel Kaplan replacing Nick Clegg, accompanied by other initiatives, particularly the abandonment of a moderation model based on X's Community Notes, associated with the suppression of external fact-checking control. This transformation reflects a more strategic reorganization of editorial responsibilities rather than a simplification of the process.
These algorithmic adjustments testify that a repositioning of Meta on the American political scene is underway. A platform where the line between technological impartiality and political intervention is becoming increasingly blurred, and on which Zuckerberg's team wants to place its pawns in the best possible position.
