Meta Reportedly Testing X-Inspired Community Notes Feature on Threads

Threads is working on a community notes feature inspired by X (formerly Twitter) that could be rolled out soon. The functionality was recently announced by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for Meta-owned Facebook, Instagram and Threads platforms, and it will replace traditional fact checking teams. Threads recently rolled out a new feature that allows users to share photos and videos from other users on the app without quoting the original post. Recently, the microblogging app revealed that it was testing a scheduled post feature.

Community Notes Feature Spotted on Threads

According to a Threads post by developer Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a), the Community Note feature is available to some iOS users, and that the feature is anonymous. Zuckerberg had previously claimed that the feature would replace the company's existing fact-checking program, starting with the US. The timeline of when the feature will be available to all users on the platform is yet to be announced.

In an attached image of a support article, the company claims that the Community Notes feature allows people from diverse perspectives to opine on misleading content or provide further context. Users can write a note if a post appears inaccurate or confusing. They can choose to provide background information, an explanation, or their own insight. If rated useful, the note might be published, the company adds.

In a video message last week, Zuckerberg claimed that there were "too many mistakes and too much censorship," and that it was time to "get back to our roots around free expression." Talking of the 2024 US Presidential election, he said that it felt like a "cultural tipping point, towards once again prioritising speech."

Zuckerberg added that Meta will also stop proactively scanning for hate speech and remove "restrictions on topics like immigration and gender that are out of touch with mainstream discourse," reviewing such posts only in response to user reports. It will focus its automated systems on removing "high-severity violations," such as terrorism, child exploitation, scams, and drugs.