Meta blocks Pixelfed links, sparking free speech concerns

Meta, the social media giant, is blocking links to a competitor platform just days after declaring its commitment to free expression, raising doubts about the sincerity of Mark Zuckerberg’s promise to reduce censorship.

A report from 404 Media reveals that Meta-owned Facebook has been removing links to Pixelfed, a decentralized competitor to Instagram. Links to pixelfed.social are being flagged as “spam” and swiftly deleted.

Meta’s censorship of competitors contradicts its commitment to free expression

AJ Sadauskas first noticed the censorship of Pixelfed on Bluesky, a competitor to X founded in 2019 by Jack Dorsey. Sadauskas posted screenshots showing Pixelfed links being removed from Facebook “within seconds.” 

Another Bluesky user, Johan Vandevelde, shared that the automatic deletions weren’t limited to Pixelfed but also extended to other Facebook competitors. He said:

“Someone was asking for [Facebook] alternatives, and I gave a link to Mastodon. My comment was immediately removed, also because of ‘spam.” – Johan Vandevelde

On January 7, Meta published a news release titled “More Speech and Fewer Mistakes,” written by the company’s chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan. The release featured a five-minute video from Zuckerberg, who vowed that Meta would “get back to its roots around free expression.” Along with reducing moderation, Meta also announced the elimination of third-party fact-checkers in favor of a community notes model similar to X’s.

Meta’s policy shift faces criticism amid political pressures

Meta’s shift in policy was praised by US President-elect Donald Trump, who suggested it was a response to threats he had made against the company. However, some of Meta’s top executives, including Michael McConnell, co-chair of the company’s oversight board, criticized Zuckerberg for “bowing to political pressure” ahead of Trump’s inauguration.

While the apparent censorship of Pixelfed could be seen as Meta trying to prevent the promotion of direct competitors rather than stifling free speech, it seems at odds with the company’s newly stated vision. The Wall Street Journal’s Editorial Board commented that Meta’s changes seem more focused on mending political relationships than advancing free speech.

The Editorial Board stated that such changes may be in part motivated by Meta’s desire to rebuild ties with Republicans poised to take control of Washington and avoid regulation. The board added that Zuckerberg is also clearly responding to the message sent by voters in electing Trump.

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