Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is intensifying efforts to combat unoriginal and repetitive content on its platform, including material generated by AI. The social media giant has introduced a new policy aimed at addressing the growing issue of “spammy” content, which includes reposted videos, memes and other inauthentic posts. This policy closely mirrors recent changes implemented by YouTube to tackle similar concerns.
New rules to protect original creators
In an official blog post, Meta explained that its new rules are designed to reduce the prevalence of unoriginal content that often clutters users’ feeds. “Too often the same meme or video pops up repeatedly-sometimes from accounts pretending to be the creator and other times from different spammy accounts,” the platform stated on its blog.
Under the new policy, accounts found sharing unoriginal content will lose access to monetization, and their future uploads will receive reduced distribution. These measures are part of a broader initiative to ensure that Facebook remains a platform where authentic and creative work thrives.
Focus in AI-generated spam
Meta’s crackdown focuses specifically on AI-generated content, which has become a significant issue on the platform. This includes content created by generative AI tools that often lack the authenticity and creativity valued by audiences. Meta has already taken steps to address this problem, including the deactivation of 500,000 channels engaged in “spammy behavior” and the removal of 10 million profiles that impersonated notable content creators.
Concerns and criticisms
While these changes have been welcomed by many creators who have long dealt with reposted or stolen content, they have also sparked some criticism. Earlier this year, a surge in mistaken account deactivations led to the creation of a petition urging Meta to stop removing accounts without offering adequate customer support.
Moving forward, the effectiveness of Meta’s new policy will depend on its ability to strike a balance between combating AI-generated spam and ensuring clear and fair moderation.