Google searches for deleting Facebook, Instagram explode after Meta ends fact-checking | TechCrunch

U.S.: Google searches for deleting Facebook and Instagram accounts have shot up recently. This spike happened right after Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, said they’d be ending their third-party fact-checking system. People are really concerned about what this means for content moderation.

Experts think this move might be a way to appeal to the incoming Trump administration. It could lead to more hateful and violent speech spreading on Meta’s platforms, which is pretty alarming.

In just a couple of days, searches like “how to permanently delete Facebook” hit a peak interest score of 100 on Google Trends. That’s the highest level you can get!

Other related searches, like “how to delete all photos on Facebook” and “how to quit Facebook,” have also seen a massive increase—over 5,000% more than before. It’s clear that people are reacting strongly to Meta’s new policies.

Meta had previously put in place fact-checking and moderation rules after facing backlash for misinformation and violence on their platforms. Remember the Capitol insurrection? That was partly fueled by calls for violence on Facebook and Instagram.

In 2021, Zuckerberg claimed that users didn’t want politics dominating their experience. But now, they’re rolling back those restrictions and bringing back more political content.

Zuckerberg says this is all about restoring free expression, similar to what Elon Musk has been saying on X. They’re replacing fact-checkers with a community notes system where users can flag posts needing more context.

Interestingly, searches for alternatives to Facebook, like Bluesky and Mastodon, have also surged. People are looking for new platforms as they react to these changes.

Mastodon’s CEO even called out Meta’s new policies, saying they’re a concern for anyone who cares about responsible content moderation.