Last week, Meta, the social media giant, made significant changes to its content moderation practices, marking the end of its fact-checking program in the United States. This shift will see Meta’s platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, transition to a user-generated “community notes” model for content moderation, similar to Twitter’s approach.
Accompanying this change is a revision to Meta’s hateful conduct policy, aiming to allow more freedom of expression. However, concerns have been raised by advocacy groups and experts about the potential increase in abusive and derogatory content targeting marginalized groups, including Indigenous people, migrants, refugees, women, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
While discussions around misinformation have primarily focused on health content related to COVID, the impact of Meta’s new policies on sexual and reproductive health information online is a growing concern. These online platforms have become essential for organizations like Family Planning Australia to disseminate crucial information on public health issues in a cost-effective and accessible manner, especially for individuals in rural areas and young populations.
Meta’s assurance that community notes will be sourced from various contributors to avoid bias initially raised hopes among online sex educators for easier sharing of sexual and reproductive health content. However, leaked internal documents reveal a worrying trend where derogatory and discriminatory comments are now deemed acceptable, posing significant risks to both users and healthcare providers sharing information online.
Recognizing past instances of over-censorship, Meta’s new crowd-sourcing approach through community notes aims to involve users with diverse political perspectives in flagging misinformation. However, investigations on similar platforms have revealed delays in addressing false content, with the system being exploited for targeted attacks on content creators, particularly those advocating for women’s health and LGBTQIA+ rights.
As a result, many LGBTQIA+ and women’s health organizations have already closed their accounts on Meta platforms, prompting health service users to seek alternative means of staying connected, such as private newsletters and mailing lists. Yet, the challenge remains for vulnerable individuals who rely on social media for privacy and anonymity in accessing reliable sexual and reproductive health information.
Amid these shifts, users are exploring new platforms like Bluesky, leading sexual and reproductive health service providers to consider adapting to these changes. While this transition may pose challenges for organizations heavily invested in Meta platforms, the evolving digital landscape necessitates flexibility and adaptability in disseminating crucial health information.
Ultimately, as social media users and health service providers navigate these transformations, the imperative lies in embracing innovation and exploring uncharted territories to ensure the continued availability of essential sexual and reproductive health resources in an ever-changing online environment.
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