Meta purged 10 million Facebook accounts in a year - a deliberate move, you may wonder, why?
Facebook Cracks Down on Unoriginal Content and Spam
In a bid to promote originality and clean up the platform, Facebook (Meta) is tightening its content rules to demote "unoriginal" content that repeatedly reuses or repurposes other creators' work without meaningful transformation or credit. Accounts that engage in such behavior face reduced distribution of their posts and temporary loss of monetization privileges.
The new rules prioritize original content in distribution. Posts that just stitch clips together or add visible watermarks from other platforms no longer count as meaningful editing and are penalized. Repeated reposting of others' videos, photos, or text without permission or significant changes results in penalties, including lower reach, loss of monetization, and in severe cases, account removal.
To ensure credit goes to the original source, Facebook is testing features that add links on duplicate videos pointing viewers to the original creator. Creators are advised to avoid using visible third-party watermarks, to focus on substantial content transformation, and to avoid impersonation or spam tactics.
This crackdown also targets spammy behavior and fake engagement, with about 10 million fake profiles removed this year, alongside 500,000 accounts involved in spam or fake engagement actions. The policy aligns with similar moves by platforms like YouTube, which also penalize mass-produced, repetitive, or spammy content but still allow creators to use AI tools to enhance storytelling.
For creators, focusing on making unique content or thoughtfully transforming existing media has a better shot at standing out on Facebook. Transforming content when reusing it is important to avoid penalties, such as by adding reaction videos, voiceovers, commentary, or edits that change the context or experience. Uploading clean versions without logos or branding from other platforms is recommended to avoid penalties.
Meta's crackdown on accounts extends to how content is ranked, shown, and monetized on Facebook. Accounts that mostly rely on reposted or recycled material are more likely to be penalized. The deleted accounts were mainly removed for impersonation, spam behavior, and fake engagement.
These measures aim to improve content quality, protect original creators’ rights and earnings, and maintain a more authentic platform experience.
[1] Meta's New Content Rules [2] Facebook's Crackdown on Unoriginal Content [3] How Facebook's New Rules Affect Creators [4] The Impact of Facebook's Content Crackdown
- In an attempt to foster originality and combat spam, Meta (Facebook) has introduced stricter content rules that prioritize cybersecurity by penalizing accounts that repost others' content without permission or significant transformation, potentially affecting the distribution and monetization of posts.
- The new emphasis on original content and authenticity on Facebook extends to all aspects of the platform, from entertainment to social-media usage, encouraging creators to focus on technology that promotes meaningful content transformation to stand out and avoid penalties.
