Meta’s updated hate speech guidelines allow users to call people mentally ill based on their sexuality or gender identity.
The guidelines, which were updated on Tuesday, still do not allow Facebook, Instagram or Threads users to insult people based on their mental health – except in this new, specific scenario.
The guidelines now read: “We do allow allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation, given political and religious discourse about transgenderism and homosexuality and common non-serious usage of words like ‘weird’.”
Now, Stonewall, the UK’s biggest LGBT+ charity has told Sky News it has requested a meeting with Meta to raise its concerns.
“Online hate and disinformation damages how society views and treats marginalised groups, and undermines societal cohesion,” said Stonewall chief executive Simon Blake.
“Meta’s approach puts politics above people when many are already concerned about the toxicity of online discourse, risking furthering division instead of fostering community.”
The update to the guidelines came as Meta changed how it moderates speech on its platforms.
Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg announced on Tuesday that the company would scrap third party fact checkers, replacing them with a system similar to X’s “community notes”.
Mr Zuckerberg said the changes were down to “recent elections” and “a cultural tipping point towards, once again, prioritising speech”.
Rules forbidding insults about a person’s appearance based on race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, religious affiliation, caste, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity and serious disease have also been scrapped.
Expressions of hate against a person or a group on the basis of their protected class are also no longer banned on the platform, and neither is referring to transgender or nonbinary people as “it”.
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“Meta’s platforms are built to be places where people can express themselves freely. That can be messy,” said the company in a statement.
“On platforms where billions of people can have a voice, all the good, bad and ugly is on display. But that’s free expression,” it said.
Mr Blake said Stonewall was “deeply troubled Meta is rolling back policies designed to protect people using their platforms”.
“This is a slippery slope and will undoubtedly have real world consequences at a time when minority rights, including LGBTQ+ rights, are already under threat.”
After Meta announced it was scrapping third-party fact checkers in the US, Mr Trump was asked about the changes.
“They have come a long way – Meta. [Mr Zuckerberg] was very impressive,” he said.
When asked if he thought Mr Zuckerberg was responding to his warnings, which have included a threat to imprison the chief executive, Trump said “probably”.
The head of X called Meta’s decision to scrap fact checkers and scale back content moderation “really exciting”.
Linda Yaccarino said “welcome to the party” while speaking during an appearance at the CES technology show in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
