Facebook eyes shift favoring free speech
January 7, 2025
Facebook has finally embraced what we’ve long argued: Free speech matters. Inspired by the model at X/Twitter, where truth is tested through open dialogue and evidence, Facebook will replace its third-party fact-checking program with a Community Notes system.
Illegal content will still be addressed, but debates over misinformation and disinformation will now unfold in the digital “Town Square” rather than being controlled by a select few. This change marks a significant victory for free expression.
As history shows, any centralized power over speech invites misuse and censorship. Recent controversies, from COVID-19 origins to Hunter Biden’s laptop, demonstrate how control over information can stifle important debates. The First Amendment was designed to prevent exactly this, safeguarding freedom by ensuring no authority dictates what can and cannot be said.
Though the lessons of free speech have come at a cost in the age of social media, this shift by Facebook is a step toward restoring the principles of open dialogue foundational to democracy. It’s a victory worth celebrating.