Meta changes the rules: how the innovations affect Ukrainians.

Facebook changes its content blocking policy

Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, announced changes to its content blocking policy. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reported this on January 7th. Deputy Director of the Center for Democracy and Rule of Law Igor Rozkladai explained how these innovations will affect Ukrainians and how to avoid blocking in an interview with StopFake.

Content is most often blocked on Facebook due to violations of Meta’s policies, particularly due to the use of hateful speech and explicitness. To avoid blocking, it is necessary to minimize risks and avoid creating grounds for it.

According to Rozkladai, volunteer meetings are often blocked due to certain keywords such as 'war' or 'fundraising.' It is important to use neutral content and avoid prohibited topics. One should also be careful with photographs of military personnel, as the presence of weapons can lead to blocking.

I advise making the content neutral but clear. Use neutral photos and avoid posting personal data on documents to avoid blocking your profile or page.

Rozkladai also emphasized the need to block bots if they show activity on user pages. He urged not to ignore comments with aggression, especially for group moderators, as this can create problems for the group or personal profile.

It is vital for moderators to respond to rule violations, remove aggressive comments, and review complaints. In case of rule violations, the content may be removed, and a notification sent to the moderator. It’s best to have strict moderation.

According to Rozkladai, changes in Meta’s policy mean that the rules have become less detailed, and political content has gained priority.

The algorithms that block hate speech and harmful content have not yet changed. I recommend monitoring and not risking violating the rules.