Meta To Remove “Unoriginal” Content, Following YouTube’s Lead

Meta announced on Monday that it will begin removing “unoriginal” content from Facebook in an effort to protect users and support content creators. The new measure aims to reduce spammy and repetitive content. The tech giant introduced this initiative just days after YouTube announced similar policies.

According to the official announcement, this move follows Meta’s rollout of new Facebook features—such as the new Friends Tab—and strategies designed to crack down on spam and improve users’ feeds. It represents another step in the company’s efforts to combat fake content and harmful behavior. Meta also revealed that it had removed approximately 10 million fake profiles.

“To improve your Feed, we’re introducing stronger measures to reduce unoriginal content on Facebook and ultimately protect and elevate creators sharing original content,” states the document.

Users will be able to join trends and reuse certain content if they properly credit it or add a unique take. However, accounts that repeatedly share videos, text, or photos from others without attribution could face penalties. This may include restrictions on monetization programs.

Meta also defined “unoriginal” content and shared a list of best practices. “Unoriginal content reuses or repurposes another creator’s content repeatedly without crediting them, taking advantage of their creativity and hard work,” wrote Meta.

The tech giant recommends that Facebook users share original content, properly credit content used from other sources, avoid watermarks, and write relevant captions.

Users can see if they might be affected by the new measure in the Support home screen or analyze a post through the Professional Dashboard.

Just a few days ago, YouTube also shared a recent policy update to warn content creators about “inauthentic” content and encourage users to share original content.

Meta’s efforts to reduce fake content and accounts come months after the company also announced the end of its fact-checking program. The company—like other social media platforms—has been struggling with misinformation and spammy content, hurting users’ experiences and the business.