Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Criticize Meta's New Fact-Checking Policy

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have added their voices to the growing criticism against Meta, the parent company of Facebook, over its recent alterations to its fact-checking policy. The couple released a statement accusing these changes of "directly undermining free speech."

"Meta’s changes to its 'Hateful Content Policies' do not protect free expression but instead foster an environment where abuse and hate speech silence and threaten the voices of whole communities who make up a healthy democracy," they wrote.

Concerns Over DEI Commitments

Their statement also condemned Meta's plans to abandon its commitments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), further amplifying concerns about the company's direction.

Meghan’s Engagement with Social Media

Recently, Meghan Markle rejoined Instagram after having deleted her social media accounts in 2018. She has reportedly engaged in "constructive conversations" with Meta executives about enhancing online safety, especially considering the online abuse she has faced since her marriage to Harry.

Others Weigh In on Meta's Policy Shift

Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko labeled Meta’s policy changes as "deeply troubling" and "a concern to anyone with a conscience." Alongside him, Michael McConnell, co-chair of Meta’s oversight board, voiced his disapproval, noting that the oversight board was not involved in the decision-making process concerning these changes.