Meta’s Move to Restore Free Expression Sparks New Opportunities for Christians
Meta announced Tuesday that it will no longer continue its fact-checking program and lift restrictions to "restore free expression" across its platforms.
"We're going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies, and restoring free expression on our platforms," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a video posted Tuesday morning. "More specifically, we're going to get rid of fact-checkers and replace them with Community Notes similar to X, starting in the U.S."
During an interview on Fox News, Meta's chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, explained that the changes are meant to return free expression after third-party fact-checkers that were incorporated following the 2016 election as a means to manage "misinformation" due to "political pressure" ultimately went "too far."
"We went to independent, third-party fact-checkers," Kaplan told Fox News Digital in an interview. "It has become clear there is too much political bias in what they choose to fact-check because, basically, they get to fact-check whatever they see on the platform."
In place of fact-checkers, Kaplan said a "Community Notes" model similar to the one used on X, formerly Twitter, will be put in place.
"Instead of going to some so-called expert, it instead relies on the community and the people on the platform to provide their own commentary to something that they've read," Kaplan explained.
The past several years were increasingly difficult for freedom of speech on social media as not everyone was free to express whatever they wanted, especially if it goes against the cultural narrative. That only increased in 2020 during the height of the pandemic and presidential election, where dissenting opinions were taken down and pages were suspended. As a result, many people felt targeted and afraid regarding what to post. Social media wasn't the same place it used to be upon launch. It had become too political and dominated by group thinking, meaning you had to get with the program or you were in trouble! Free speech was no longer a thing because compliance was required.
Christians are no strangers to this type of behavior as they have been persecuted for preaching the gospel throughout history as well as taking a stand for biblical truth. In our context today, many believers are attempting to stay the course even as the cultural tides change. This has been evident through a number of hot-button topics, including abortion, LGBT issues, immigration, religious freedom, and so forth. It became difficult for them to have an open discussion as these policies took effect. Now that they are removed, Christians have an opportunity to speak up on these issues again without punishment.
This doesn't mean that there won't be opposition against Christians. After all Jesus warned that there will be persecution just as He was persecuted. He tells His disciples "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you" (John 15:18). Nevertheless, the church must continue to share the gospel and be outspoken about their faith in the public space.
Set Apart
As Christians, we are set apart from the world and set apart unto the Lord. We are God's chosen "a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (2 Peter 2:9). This has nothing to do with our own accord or self-righteousness, but is all a work of God's glorious grace through Christ. Therefore, Christians are to remain outspoken about who they are and point others to God. As a set apart people, we are to be in the world but not of the world. We maintain who we are in the Lord wherever we go, even on social media.
Speak the Truth In Love
Even though we are to uphold our faith in the world, we must speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). We speak with compassion, no coercion. We seek to live at peace with everyone while at the same time not compromising on our beliefs and values. Although there will be others who will disagree with us and even oppose us in light of what we share, we must continue to speak the truth in love. We must also pray for those who disagree with us so that they may come to know the Lord in light of sharing the gospel with them. At the end of the day, we are simply messengers, ambassadors of Christ as we reflect and represent Him in the world. We are to be resplendent with the love of God through our words and actions, especially in our interactions with people so that they may know the one true God.
A Wake-Up Call
I believe Christians in the Western world have taken their faith for granted, given that many across the world are persecuted and even killed for their faith. Even with more freedom of speech on social media, who's to say it will be like that on a permanent basis? We must remember that we live in a fallen world and that there will be hostility against Christians. Scripture tells us that we are not to conform to the patterns of this world (Romans 12:2). Therefore, let us not take this freedom for granted but rather embrace it and utilize it to the glory of God while we still can. We must make the best use of the time because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16), thus should not be wasted.
Photo Credit: Dole/Unsplash
Originally published January 08, 2025.
