UX

In January, Meta announced the end of third-party fact-checkers on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. The tech giant is betting on a new, community-driven system called Community Notes that draws on X’s feature of the same name and uses the X’s open algorithm as its basis. Meta is rolling out the feature on March 18. Anyone who wants to write and rate community notes can sign up now. The rollout will be throttled and, initially, notes won’t appear publicly as Meta claims it needs time to feed the algorithm and ensure this system is working properly. The promise is enticing. A more scalable, less biased way to flag false or misleading content, driven by the wisdom of the crowd rather than the judgment of experts. But a closer look at the underlying assumptions and design choices raises questions about whether this new system can truly deliver on its promises. The concept, its UX implementation, and underlying technology surfaces challenges that, in my conversations with Meta’s designers, don’t seem to have any clear, categorical answer. It feels more like a work-in-progress and not a clear-cut answer to the shortcomings of third-party fact-checking.  Currently, Meta’s Community Notes are exclusively accessible on mobile devices within the Facebook, Instagram, and Threads apps. The mobile-first approach likely reflects the platform’s primary user base and usage patterns. Users who are eligible to contribute to Community Notes, after meeting specific criteria such as having a verified account and a history of platform engagement, can apply to be a contributor and add context to posts they believe contain misinformation (200,000 have already done so in the U.S., Meta tells me). Once in, they’ll find an option within the post’s menu to “Add a Community Note.” This triggers an overlay screen with a simple text editor that has a 500-character limit. The design also requires users to include a link, adding a layer of credibility to the note (although the link may not be a reliable source).