Meta’s new policies allow linking mental illnesses to sexual orientation.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, recently announced some significant changes to its moderation and fact-checking policies on its platforms. One of the key changes is the discontinuation of its old fact-checking system, where Meta partnered with certain organizations to validate conflicting information shared on the network. Additionally, the company is also preparing to relax some of the restrictions on freedom of expression regarding sensitive topics such as immigration, gender, and sexual preferences, which it believes should be open to debate.

The updated policy on hate speech content on Meta’s platform, specifically in the United States, includes some noteworthy changes. One of the most controversial changes revolves around the association of gender with mental illnesses. According to Wired, Meta’s new hate speech policy, which will apply to all of the company’s social platforms, now allows the use of gender-related terms in conjunction with mental illnesses and the use of “generic” terms to describe such situations.

Critics argue that this change will essentially enable users to make offensive comments or use derogatory terms towards certain groups based on their gender or sexual identity. It’s important to note that these new moderation rules currently only apply to the United States, and changes have not yet been implemented in other languages, including Portuguese. However, considering Meta’s overall direction and plans, it’s highly likely that similar measures will be applied in the near future.

It’s worth mentioning that Meta recently announced its intention to adopt a more open stance on freedom of expression and remove some of the limitations on comments and messages that can be shared on its platform regarding certain topics. While this move has faced considerable criticism, proponents argue that it could lead to greater freedom of expression for all users.

Overall, these changes in Meta’s moderation and fact-checking policies are undoubtedly significant. They raise important questions about the balance between freedom of expression and the prevention of hate speech and misinformation. As the company continues to navigate these challenges, it remains to be seen how these changes will impact the user experience and the overall dynamics of online discourse.