In a gold chain and just over five minutes, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised that Meta platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, would begin to allow “more speech and fewer mistakes.” He detailed sweeping changes in the methods that Meta would use for moderating content. His announcement comes as a response to the public scrutiny of Meta for its fact checking methods and censorship decisions. The shift entails a renewed respect for free speech and signals a broader embrace of market-driven solutions.

Zuckerberg outlined three developments in the service of free expression.

Firstly, Meta will replace third-party fact checkers with community notes. Following the X model, Meta will implement a collaborative system wherein users of the platform can provide input on the validity of statements. User-provided context will replace the often mysterious and subjective process of hired fact-checkers evaluating content. Those in search of a more open online dialogue can participate on X and Meta platforms, while those who prefer a more regulated experience can opt for other media platforms

The CEO also expressed a desire to stop “limiting legitimate political debate” by changing policies around which content is allowed. “We’re getting rid of a number of restrictions on topics like immigration, gender identity, and gender that are the subject of frequent political discourse and debate. It’s not right that things can be said on TV or the floor of Congress, but not on our platforms.” Users can expect an array of previously restricted topics to be fair game for discussion and debate on Meta platforms in coming weeks, affirming their First Amendment rights. In the same vein, Meta will aim to reduce errors in enforcement, which Zuckerberg attributed as the primary cause of censorship. Automatic content moderation will be reserved only for severe offenses. For less severe content, someone will have to report a post before any action is taken, resulting in more transparency.

Finally, Zuckerberg walked back the algorithmic programming on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads that made it more difficult for users to engage with civic and political content. He said that Meta will offer users a more personalized experience. “We’re going to start treating civic content from people and pages you follow on Facebook more like any other content in your feed, and we will start ranking and showing you that content based on explicit signals (for example, liking a piece of content) and implicit signals (like viewing posts) that help us predict what’s meaningful to people.”

Allowing more content and making it harder for posts to be removed or demoted means that social media platforms will more closely resemble the interests and ideas of their users. Meta, as a private company, is responding to the market and creating a platform that addresses issues and improves user experience, independent of government dictates. Zuckerberg’s decision is emblematic of the free market at work. In order to remain competitive and innovative, Meta adjusted to the desires of the consumer.

Meta’s public rejection of heavy content moderation and embrace of the First Amendment is also part of a larger movement to protect online speech. Last summer, the Supreme Court ruled against government censorship by proxy through social media platforms. Additionally, the incoming administration has been a vocal critic of Facebook and other platforms’ methods of content moderation. As the Wall Street Journal so aptly put it, “Social Media Companies Decide Content Moderation is Trending Down.” This momentum can continue if users continue to push for a platform that reflects their interests, companies are allowed to adapt and modify in response to those interests, and the government avoids coercion and censorship that would interfere with the free marketplace of ideas.