Harmful content spreads on Meta’s Threads, with no fact-checking in place

Since its launch, Meta’s Threads platform has amassed over 100 million users, but the social network is quickly becoming a breeding ground for harmful content and misinformation. Meta launched Threads without the fact-checking program that aims to prevent the spread of misinformation on Facebook and Instagram and has allowed exceptions to its community guidelines. Despite the guidelines, the platform has allowed exceptions for right-wing accounts, leading to the spread of election and health misinformation, conspiracy theories, and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric.

The fact-checking program that aims to prevent the spread of misinformation on Facebook and Instagram was not implemented on Threads, and hate speech policies were seemingly abandoned. Right-wing users have been able to peddle unchecked misinformation about the ‘rigged’ 2020 election, COVID-19 vaccines, and abortion. Additionally, the platform has allowed the posting of anti-LGBTQ, racist, and anti-immigrant rhetoric, including transphobic slurs and dangerous claims about the LGBTQ community. Despite the presence of harmful content, Meta has not moderated or taken down these posts.