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Meta to Launch “Community Notes” in the U.S. Using X’s Algorithm

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Meta will begin testing its new Community Notes feature in the U.S. starting March 18, utilizing technology from Elon Musk’s X, the company announced on Thursday. This move comes two months after Meta scrapped its fact-checking program under pressure from conservatives, signaling a shift from traditional fact-checking to a crowd-sourced model.

The feature will allow users to write and rate notes to flag false or misleading content across Instagram, Facebook, and Threads, effectively replacing the third-party fact-checkers that were previously responsible for content moderation. 200,000 U.S. users have already signed up as potential contributors to the new system.

Meta’s switch to the Community Notes program represents a significant overhaul in its approach to content management. The company has been keen to improve its relationship with the Trump administration, which has criticized social media platforms for silencing conservative voices. President Donald Trump praised Meta’s decision in January, acknowledging the shift toward a more inclusive and less biased content moderation process.

To power Community Notes, Meta will adopt X’s open-source algorithm, which was originally developed as part of X’s Birdwatch feature. The system, now known as Community Notes, allows users to contribute and vote on content’s accuracy. Meta’s version will limit notes to 500 characters and initially support six languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and Portuguese. Notes will remain anonymous and will be published only if users with differing viewpoints agree that the note provides helpful context.

Contributors must be over 18 and include a supporting link when posting notes. Meta has emphasized that this system will be less biased than the previous third-party fact-checking method. Once the new system is in place, third-party fact-check labels will no longer appear on U.S. content.

Meta, which boasts over 3 billion global users, continues to collaborate with nearly 100 certified fact-checking organizations across 60+ languages, according to the company.

Spain Moves to Fine Companies for Unlabelled AI-Generated Content

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Spain’s government has approved a new bill imposing hefty fines on companies that fail to label AI-generated content properly. The measure, aimed at combating misinformation and the spread of deepfakes, aligns with the European Union’s AI Act, which enforces strict transparency rules for high-risk AI applications.

Digital Transformation Minister Oscar Lopez emphasized the dual nature of AI, describing it as both a powerful tool for improving lives and a potential threat to democracy through disinformation. Spain is among the first EU nations to implement these regulations, setting a more rigid standard compared to the United States’ largely voluntary approach.

The proposed law classifies the failure to properly label AI-generated content as a “serious offense,” punishable by fines of up to €35 million ($38.2 million) or 7% of a company’s global annual revenue. The bill also prohibits subliminal AI techniques used to manipulate vulnerable populations, such as chatbots that encourage gambling addiction or AI-powered toys that promote risky behavior among children.

Another key provision bans the use of AI to classify individuals based on biometric data for scoring purposes, preventing organizations from assessing a person’s eligibility for benefits or predicting criminal behavior. However, authorities will still be permitted to use real-time biometric surveillance for national security purposes.

Spain’s newly established AI supervisory agency, AESIA, will oversee enforcement, except in areas such as data privacy, elections, finance, and crime, which will fall under their respective regulatory bodies. The bill must still pass the lower house before becoming law.

Digg Set for AI-Driven Comeback with Rose and Ohanian at the Helm

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Digg, the once-popular content aggregator that was a major player in the early days of social media, is making a comeback with a new AI-powered approach. Co-founder Kevin Rose has joined forces with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian to acquire Digg, betting on artificial intelligence to revitalize the platform that once attracted around 40 million monthly visitors.

Launched in 2004 by Rose, Digg was considered the “homepage of the internet” and a major competitor to Reddit, which Ohanian co-founded. However, after its 2012 acquisition by Betaworks, Digg’s popularity declined, and its most valuable assets, including patents, were sold to LinkedIn. The platform then shifted its focus to curating news.

Rose and Ohanian, who bought Digg for an undisclosed sum, plan to use their social media expertise and restore the site’s nostalgic early interface. One of the key features of the original Digg was the ability for users to “digg” or “bury” content—an early precursor to the viral content curation techniques used by today’s social media platforms.

The duo’s vision for the new Digg includes utilizing AI-driven content curation to tackle challenges like misinformation and toxic discourse, ensuring that the platform remains a positive space for users. Rose explained that AI could serve as a helpful “co-pilot” to both users and moderators, enhancing human conversation rather than replacing it.

The revamped Digg will soon send out invites for early access, entering a crowded social media market where smaller platforms like Pinterest compete for ad revenue and user engagement against larger players like Meta. Rose’s long-time collaborator, Justin Mezzell, with a background in Google and Facebook, will take over as Digg’s CEO.

The acquisition is supported by venture capital firms True Ventures, where Rose is a partner, and Ohanian’s Seven Seven Six. Rose will also serve as Digg’s board chair and key advisor. In addition to his role in Digg, Ohanian has joined a bid led by former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations.